5;C[AZ 

M*7  i  5  1920 
N..Y&L.  THE 

Scientific  Alliance 

OF 

NEW  YORK. 


COMPRISING  THE   MEMBERS   OF 


The  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences, 
The  Torrey  Botanical  Club, 

The  New  York  Microscopical  Society, 
The  Linmean  Society  of  New  York, 
The  New  York  Mineralogical  Club, 

The  New  York  Mathematical  Society, 
The  New  York  Section  of  the 

American  Chemical  Society. 

ADDRESSES 

DELIVERED  AT  THE 

first  joint  meeting, 


HELD   AT  THE 


AMERICAN   MUSEUM   OF  NATURAL   HISTORY, 
Tuesday  Evening,  November  15th,  1892. 


/ 


:    -. 


THE 


Scientific  Alliance 

OF 

NEW   YORK. 

COMPRISING   THE    MEMBERS    OF 

The  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences, 
The  Torrey  Botanical  Club, 

The  New  York  Microscopical  Society, 
The  Linn^an  Society  of  New  York, 
The  New  York  Mineralogical  Club, 

The  New  York  Mathematical  Society, 
The  New  York  Section  of  the 

American  Chemical  Society. 

addresses 

DELIVERED    AT   THE 

first  joint  meeting, 

HELD   AT   THE 

AMERICAN    MUSEUM   OF   NATURAL   HISTORY, 
Tuesday  Evening,  November  15th,  1892. 


NEW  YORK. 

i893-         m        of  m 

APR  22  IS26 

UK  OF  H 


CONTENTS. 


Council  of  the  Scientific  Alliance,  i 892-1893,   ...       3 

Note, 4 

Address  by  Hon.  Seth  Low,  President  of  Columbia  Col- 
lege, on  "The  Advantage  to   New  York  City  of  the 

Alliance  of  the  Scientific  Societies," 5 

Address  by  Mr.  Charles  F.  Cox,  on  "  The  Advantage  of 

Alliance  to  the  Scientific  Societies," 9 

Address  by  Hon.  Addison  Brown,  on  "The  Need  of  En- 
dowment for  Scientific  Research  and  Publication,"  .    .     18 
Address  by  Prof.  H.  Carrington  Bolton,  on  "A  Plea  for 

a  Library  of  Science  in  New  York  City," 42 

Appendix, 50 

Address  by  Prof.  N.  L.  Britton,  on  "The  Kind  of  Build- 
ing Required  by  the  Scientific  Alliance," 60 


S6  (=> 

COUNCIL  OF  THE  SCIENTIFIC  ALLIANCE  OF  NEW  YORK. 

1892—1893. 


From  the  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences. 
O.  P.  HUBBARD,  President. 
N.  L.  BRITTON. 
CHAS.  F.  COX. 

From  the  Torrey  Botanical  Club. 

ADDISON  BROWN,  President. 
THOMAS  MORONG. 
HENRY  H.  RUSBY. 

From  the  New  York  Microscopical  Society, 

J.  D.  HYATT,  President. 
P.   H.  DUDLEY. 
J.  L.  ZABRISKIE. 

From  the  L,innsean  Society  of  New  York. 

J.  A.  ALLEN,  President. 
L.  S.  FOSTER. 
ARTHUR  H.  HOWELL. 

From  the  New  York  Mathematical  Society. 

EMORY  McCLINTOCK,  President. 
THOMAS  S.  FISKE. 
J.  H.  VAN  AMRINGE. 

From  the  New  York  Mineralogical  Club. 

GEO.  F.  KUNZ. 

D.  S.  MARTIN. 

W.  D.  SCHOONMAKER. 

From  the  New  York  Section  of  the  American  Chemical  Society. 

A.  H.  SABIN,  Chairman. 
A.  A.  BRENEMAN. 
ELWYN  WALLER. 
Officers  of  the  Council,  1892-1893, 
President:   CHAS.  F.  COX, 

Grand  Central  Depot. 
Secretary  and  Treasurer:   N.  L.  BRITTON, 

Columbia  College. 
3 

547HP 


NOTE. 

The  first  Joint  Meeting  of  the  Societies  forming  the  Scien- 
tific Alliance  of  New  York  had  for  its  object  the  public  pre- 
sentation of  the  needs  of  science  in  this  city,  and  the  plans  and 
purposes  of  the  Council  of  the  Alliance.  This  Council  is  com- 
posed of  the  President  and  two  other  members  of  each  of  the 
organizations  and  has  advisory  powers  only. 

The  membership  of  the  societies  is  over  650,  and  includes 
nearly  every  name  of  persons  especially  interested  in  Pure 
Science  in  New  York. 

The  following  addresses  present  an  outline  of  what  the 
Council  is  endeavoring  to  accomplish,  and  its  members  will 
welcome  any  suggestions  or  correspondence  on  the  matter. 


ADDRESS    OF    HON.    SETH    LOW, 

President  of  Columbia  College, 
on  THE 

ADVANTAGES  TO  NEW  YORK  CITY  OF  THE  ALLI- 
ANCE OF  THE  SCIENTIFIC  SOCIETIES. 


Ladies  and  Gentlemen:  It  will  be  noticed  that  I  am  to 
speak  of  the  advantages  to  New  York,  to  the  city  itself,  that 
may  reasonably  be  expected  to  spring  from  the  affiliation  and 
cooperation  of  the  societies,  in  other  words,  I  assume,  from  the 
Scientific  Alliance.  New  York  is  a  great  commercial  city  and 
a  great  financial  centre.  New  York  has  in  it  also,  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  many  scientific  men  of  the  first  order.  Here  has 
been  done,  in  the  past,  the  work  of  Draper  and  of  Morse,  the 
work  of  Rutherfurd  and  of  Newberry  and  not  a  little  of  the  work 
of  Edison.  Yet  New  York  is  not  a  great  scientific  centre,  in  the 
same  sense  that  it  is  a  great  financial  centre.  The  desire  of  the 
Scientific  Alliance  is  to  make  the  city  a  great  scientific  centre, 
in  the  sense  that  the  city  shall  become  a  positive  power  in  the 
world  of  scientific  thought  and  action.  I  need  not  pause,  at 
this  moment,  to  dwell  upon  the  advantages  to  this  city  if  that 
expectation  shall  be  realized.  Let  me  rather  point  out  the  way 
in  which,  I  think,  this  result  may  be  reached. 

New  York  is  a  great  commercial  and  financial  city.  New 
York  has  its  Produce  Exchange,  its  Maritime  Exchange,  its 
Stock  Exchange,  and  many  other  exchanges;  and  New  York 
has  its  Chamber  of  Commerce.  The  exchanges  are  organiza- 
tions to  facilitate  business;  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  is  the 
great  representative  body  of  all  the  business  and  financial  in- 
terests of  the  city.  No  business  is  transacted  on  the  floor  of 
the  Chamber,  and  for  this  very  reason  it  can  serve  as  the  com- 
mon meeting  ground  of  every  business.  When  the  Commerce 
of  New  York  is  appealed  to  on  its  philanthropic  or  its  patri- 
otic side,  the  Chamber  is  its  natural  organ.     The  Chamber  col- 

5 


lects  and  prints  statistics  of  a  general  character,  as  distin- 
guished from  the  daily  bulletins  of  the  exchanges.  In  a  word, 
it  is  the  representative  of  the  business  community  as  distin- 
guished from  any  particular  trade  or  industry.  In  asking  your 
attention  to  this  condition  of  things,  I  do  not  pretend  for  a 
moment  that  New  York  is  made  a  great  commercial  city  by 
its  exchanges  and  its  Chamber  of  Commerce.  These  rather 
exist  because  New  York  is  a  great  commercial  centre.  Yet  it 
is  certainly  true  that  the  exchanges  and  Chamber  do  power- 
fully contribute,  by  the  sense  of  common  interest  that  they 
foster  and  by  the  facilities  they  afford,  to  the  maintenance  of 
New  York's  commercial  supremacy.  What  is  significant  from 
the  point  of  view  of  this  discussion  is,  that  if  the  strong  com- 
mercial life  of  the  city  requires  these  agencies,  so  will  every  in- 
terest require  them,  or  something  like  them,  as  it  becomes 
strong  enough  to  feel  that  it  can  make  itself  felt  and  has  the 
desire  to  do  so.  It  is  not  unapt  to  say  that  the  museums,  with 
their  staff  of  investigators,  and  the  colleges  and  universities  of 
the  city  correspond  roughly  to  the  exchanges,  but  science  in 
New  York  is  only  now  beholding  the  vision  of  its  Chamber 
of  Commerce.  This  movement  towards  a  Scientific  Alliance 
is  at  once  suggestive  of  a  growing  sense  of  power  and  of  new 
aspirations  on  the  part  of  scientific  men  in  the  city.  If  I  may 
venture  as  a  layman,  to  draw  an  illustration  from  the  field  of 
electricity,  I  would  point  out  to  you  that  however  much  elec- 
tricity may  be  present  in  the  atmosphere,  it  gives  no  sign  of 
its  presence  until  favoring  conditions  make  it  manifest. 
Similarly  there  may  be,  and  there  doubtless  is,  a  vast  amount 
of  scientific  knowledge  and  interest  in  this  great  community, 
but  it  must  have  facilities  for  expression  before  it  can  make  itself 
known  and  felt,  still  more  before  it  can  drive  the  motors  of 
scientific  activity  along  the  paths  of  investigation,  and  the  large 
service  of  mankind.  Naturally,  the  city  is  not  wholly  devoid 
of  such  means  of  expression.  The  museums,  the  universities, 
the  colleges  of  the  city,  as  I  have  said,  do  something  to  fan  the 
flame,  and  between  them  bring  into  the  city  probably  the 
largest  body  of  men  whose  attention  turns  naturally  to  such 
things.      Neither  is  it  just  to  leave  out  of  the  account  the  con- 


7 

stant  encouragement  which  business  men  in  New  York  are  ex- 
tending to  those  who  are  endeavoring  to  apply  practically  the 
results  reached  in  the  domain  of  pure  science.  But  beyond 
the  walls  of  all  such  institutions,  and  outside  the  ranks  of  in- 
ventors, all  through  the  city  are  men  whose  tastes  and  interests 
incline  them  to  scientific  pursuits.  All  these  sorts  of  men 
have  organized  themselves  into  various  scientific  societies,  each 
after  its  kind,  to  listen  to  and  discuss  scientific  papers.  These 
bodies  have  revealed  at  once  the  strength  and  the  weakness  of 
New  York  in  these  directions.  They  have  made  clear  beyond 
a  doubt  the  vast  resources  of  the  city,  both  in  men  and 
means.  But  they  have  also  revealed  the  fact  that  these  re- 
sources are  as  yet  insufficiently  organized.  They  have  also 
made  clear  that  such  a  movement  in  New  York  is  beset  with 
at  least  one  difficulty  peculiar  to  the  place.  The  New  York 
audience  is  itself  so  large  that  many  men  have  been  content 
with  reaching  that  audience  alone.  They  have  not  always 
realized  that  the  man  who  wishes  to  benefit  mankind  by  his 
service  to  science  must  be  contended  for,  like  the  poet,  by 
many  cities.  Not  even  imperial  New  York  should  satisfy  the 
ambition  of  our  scientific  men ;  they  must  seek  and  deserve  a 
world-wide  hearing.  Newton  read  his  "Principia"  to  the 
Royal  Society  of  London  before  it  was  published,  and  sought 
their  judgment  upon  it.  So  it  should  be  here.  Many  a 
scientific  bubble  will  be  pricked  by  such  a  test,  but  that  which 
is  true  will  be  established.  Men  should  seek  to  say  not 
simply  what  will  gratify  the  society  and  never  be  heard  of  be- 
yond its  walls,  but  that  which,  being  said  to  the  society,  will 
command  attention  wherever  it  is  known.  All  this  means  that 
there  must  be,  in  the  scientific  life  of  the  city,  such  earnestness 
as  will  lead  to  thorough  and  patient  work  on  which  alone 
scientific  renown  is  based.  The  immediateness  and  magnitude 
of  local  recognition  in  the  city  of  New  York,  I  sometimes 
think,  has  operated  to  discourage  depth  and  thoroughness. 
Men  are  tempted  to  speak  too  soon  and  too  often.  The  man 
who  has  no  local  audience  is  perforce  silent  until  he  has  some- 
thing to  say  which  will  command  a  hearing  at  large. 

On  the    other  hand,  the  multitude  of   such  scientific  so- 


cieties  as  I  have  been  discussing,  dissipates  the  august  audience 
that  New  York  might  afford  to  its  devotees  of  science,  and 
breaks  it  up  into  comparatively  unimportant  groups.  The 
scientific  spirit,  in  a  word,  lacks  intensity  of  expression.  Our 
neighboring  city  of  Brooklyn,  through  the  strength  that  has 
come  to  it  by  the  association  of  its  lovers  of  science  of  every 
name  in  branches  of  the  Brooklyn  Institute  of  Arts  and 
Sciences,  has  opened  and  maintained  a  successful  seaside  lab- 
oratory of  Biology  at  Glen  Cove.  Our  resources  in  men  and 
means  are  vastly  larger,  but  they  have  not  so  early  been  turned 
to  account.  Scientific  expeditions  go  out  from  smaller  cities 
with  a  frequency  not  equalled  here,  although  it  is  pleasant  to 
make  note  of  the  activity  of  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History,  in  this  regard. 

The  Scientific  Alliance  of  New  York  has  the  capacity,  I 
think,  to  give  to  New  York  the  agency  which  the  city  has  long 
needed  to  develop  to  the  utmost  its  scientific  activities  in  the 
direction  of  pure  science.  First  of  all,  the  Alliance  conforms 
to  that  fundamental  truth  of  modern  scientific  thought,  the 
unity  of  nature.  We  recognize  that  all  sciences,  so  called,  are 
only  branches  of  one  all-embracing  science.  They  belong  to- 
gether and  not  apart,  because  they  are  mutually  interdependent. 
But  this  Alliance  needs,  for  the  full  accomplishment  of  its  de- 
signs, a  common  home  in  which  the  different  societies  shall 
have  their  headquarters,  use  their  libraries  in  common,  and 
make  available  for  all  the  periodicals  and  meetings  of  each. 
Such  a  building  should  contain  accommodations  for  a  truly 
great  scientific  library,  and  a  lecture  hall  that  might  be  turned 
to  account  for  the  instruction  and  enlightenment  of  the  public. 
It  would  naturally  become  the  place  where  scientific  men  "  most 
do  congregate."  With  an  agency  of  this  kind  at  its  command, 
adequately  supported,  it  would  be  but  a  short  time  before  the 
Scientific  Alliance  of  New  York  would  awaken  in  the  city  a 
veritable  enthusiasm  for  the  encouragement  of  scientific  re- 
search. It  should  offer  the  means  of  publishing  meritorious 
papers,  and  it  should  fit  out  and  maintain  scientific  expeditions 
to  all  parts  of  the  globe.  In  this  way  it  would  do  much  to 
make  Xew  York  a  benefactor  of  the  nations,  one  of  the  cities 


9 

the  world  would  not  willingly  let  die.  It  is  a  significant  com- 
mentary, I  think,  on  the  situation  of  the  moment,  that  a  gentle- 
man living  on  Long  Island  who  wished  to  contribute  some- 
thing to  the  advancement  of  science  should  have  recently  given 
$100,000  to  the  Royal  Institution  of  London.  The  same  getle- 
man,  wishing  to  give  something  to  charity,  was  able  to  find 
satisfactory  agencies  in  New  York.  How  long  shall  it  be  be- 
fore men  who  are  like-minded  shall  find  in  New  York  some 
worthy  peer  of  the  Royal  Institution  of  London  dedicated  to 
the  advancement  of  scientific  inquiry  and  research? 

But,  perhaps  you  ask  me  what,  after  all,  will  be  the  value 
of  all  this  to  New  York,  if  it  should  get  it?  One  might  give 
many  answers,  but  I  prefer  rather  to  ask:  What  is  the 
value  of  light  to  the  sun,  of  poetry  to  the  poet?  Only  that 
light  reveals  the  nature  of  the  sun,  and  poetry  the  nature  of  the 
poet.  This  city  will  surely  be  a  nobler  and  a  better  place  to 
dwell  in,  the  more  it  can  draw  to  itself,  and  make  happy  and 
useful  within  its  borders,  the  men  who  question  nature  for  her 
secrets  and  reveal  them  for  the  service  and  advancement  of 
mankind. 


ADDRESS  OF  MR.  CHARLES  F.  COX, 

ON   THE    • 

ADVANTAGES  OF  THE  ALLIANCE  TO  THE  SCIEN- 
TIFIC SOCIETIES. 


The  hopeful  words  which  have  been  spoken  by  President 
Low  surely  leave  no  room  for  doubt  that  the  alliance  of  the 
scientific  societies  of  New  York  is  destined  to  accomplish  good 
in  at  least  one  direction.  But  the  arrangement  of  topics  upon 
our  programme  indicates  that  this  is  only  part  of  the  result 
expected  from  the  movement  which  we  have  met  to  promote, 
although,  in  the  light  of  the  convincing  presentation  of  the 
matter  which  we  have  just  heard,  we  may  indeed  look  upon  it 


IO 


as  the  major  part  of  the  work  we  have  before  us.  For  myself,  I 
shall  regard  the  union  of  the  organizations  which  we  represent  as 
already  justified,  if  we  are  able  to  fulfill,  in  even  moderate  measure, 
the  prophecy  which  has  been  so  confidently  made  for  us.  Ac- 
cording to  the  encouraging  horoscope  which  President  Low  has 
cast,  it  is  to  be  our  good  fortune  to  exert  a  beneficent  influence 
upon  the  development  of  the  great  metropolis  in  which  we 
dwell,  and,  at  the  same  time,  by  the  very  enlargement  of  our 
aims,  to  give  a  new  impetus  to  scientific  progress.  But  this  is 
not  bespeaking  for  us  a  simple  and  an  easy  task.  We  need, 
at  the  outset,  to  recognize  the  fact  that  we  have  embarked  in 
an  undertaking  calling  for  an  unusual  amount  of  energy,  earnest- 
ness, persistency  and  faith.  But  these  qualities  are  not  to  be 
brought  into  existence  merely  by  banding  ourselves  together. 
Men  do  not  create  capital  by  forming  business  partnerships. 
They  make  up  their  firms  because  they  have  already  a  surplus 
of  means  and  wish  to  increase  them  by  putting  them  to  the 
largest  possible  use.  So,  if  these  societies  are  to  make  them- 
selves felt  in  the  efficient  manner  predicted  by  President  Low, 
they  will  do  so  because  they  are  themselves  animated  by  a  vital 
force  more  than  sufficient  to  keep  their  own  internal  functions 
in  operation.  If  it  had  not  been  believed  that  they  had  reached 
this  point  in  their  development,  this  Alliance  would  never  have 
been  formed. 

According  to  the  late  Dr.  Drysdale,  the  fundamental  cri- 
terion of  vitality  is  in  the  reaction  of  ultimate  anatomical  units 
against  their  environment.  On  this  principle  we  propose  to 
test  the  energy  of  these  organizations  by  bringing  them  into 
closer  contact  w7ith  the  restless,  eager,  busy  world  about  them, 
confident  that,  even  if  the  extrinsic  effects  produced  turn  out 
to  be  but  barely  appreciable,  there  will  still  prove  to  be  in- 
trinsic results  more  than  compensating  for  the  efforts  put  forth. 
At  least  the  cause  of  science  will  be  honored  by  our  devotion, 
and  the  pursuit  of  pure  truth  will  be  exalted  and  set  before  the 
people  as  an  example  of  the  things  which  moth  and  rust  do  not 
corrupt  as  something,  therefore,  in  this  age  of  business  and 
bustle  which  is  rather  to  be  chosen  than  great  riches. 

If  Dr.  Drysdale's  criterion  will  stand  the  experimental  test 


1 1 

to  which  we  shall  thus  put  it,  we  shall  find  that  our  endeavors 
will  inevitably  produce  within  our  societies  a  correlative  devel- 
opment of  vigor  and  productiveness  by  which  they  will 
rise  to  higher  and  higher  possibilities  and  reach  out  after 
nobler  and  nobler  purposes.  Each  determined  attempt  we 
make  to  broaden  the  boundaries  of  learning  will  at  least  deepen 
our  own  appreciation  of  knowledge.  Each  serious  plea  we 
put  forth  for  a  higher  standard  of  education  will  lengthen  the 
rule  by  which  we  measure  our  own  achievement.  And  thus, 
as  Emerson  says,  "  every  act  rewards  itself." 

Therefore  I  place  above  all  other  advantages  which  the 
scientific  societies  of  New  York  will  derive  from  this  alliance, 
the  stimulating  and  reenergizing  effect  which  will  be  wrought 
in  them  by  the  demand  made  upon  them  for  an  increased  out- 
put of  effort  for  the  public  good.  I  verily  believe  that  in  pro- 
portion to  the  new  duties  conscientiously  assumed  will  be  the 
increase  of  capacity,  not  only  for  their  performance,  but  also 
for  self-development.  So  long  as  our  societies  are  merely  self- 
contained  they  possess  only  what  we  used  to  designate,  in  a 
paradoxical  way,  as  latent  energy.  In  their  separate  existences 
they  are  like  the  disconnected  cells  of  a  storage  battery ;  the 
elements  of  power  are  there  and  arrangement  of  the  parts 
is  theoretically  admirable  and  interesting,  but  there  is  little 
activity,  and  what  there  is  is  merely  the  inefficient  result  of 
"  short-circuiting."  To  get  work  of  any  great  value  we  must 
bring  the  cells  together  in  a  close  bond  of  intercommunication 
and  then  focus  their  combined  strength  upon  something  worth 
doing ;  we  must  set  them  a  task  large  enough  and  important 
enough  to  draw  upon  their  innermost  resources  and  to  stir 
every  constituent  particle  to  its  widest  range  of  movement. 
Thus  harnessed  to  a  definite  purpose,  the  battery  will  evolve 
propulsive  force  in  proportion  to  the  call  made  upon  it  to  over- 
come inertia  and  friction. 

This  reference  to  the  necessity  for  linking  the  several  cells 
together,  so  that  they  may  contribute  to  a  single  working  cur- 
rent, leads  to  the  consideration  of  another  advantage  which  these 
societies  are  to  derive  from  this  alliance.  This  is  the  reinforce- 
ment and  encouragement  they  and  their  members  will  receive 


12 

from  contact  with  one  another,  through  sympathy,  advice  and 

example.  In  these  days  of  rigid  specialization,  when  the  con- 
stantly expanding  domain  of  science  has  become  by  force  of 
circumstances  cut  up  into  more  or  less  independent  states  and 
territories,  confederation,  for  aid  and  defence,  has  become  as 
much  of  a  necessity  as  it  was  to  our  early  colonists  after  they 
had  once  attained  to  local  permanency  and  vested  interests. 
Science  has  taken  possession  of  a  vast  world  of  previously  un- 
investigated phenomena  since  Columbus  first  crossed  the 
Atlantic,  and  it  requires  absorbing  labor  in  many  scattered 
regions  to  fell  the  dense  forests  of  ignorance  and  fill  up  the  low- 
places  of  superstition.  Investigators  of  Nature's  laws  are  not 
now  beset  by  the  same  sort  of  enemies  as  those  who  harassed 
the  truth-seekers  of  Columbus's  time,  but  you  men  of  science 
have  none  the  less  your  foes.  Strange  to  say,  the  most  power- 
ful of  these  are  your  opponents  unconsciously.  They  are  the 
average  mass  of  men  about  you,  wholly  devoted  to  self-seeking 
and  swallowed  up  in  the  struggle  for  material  aggrandizement. 
They  measure  knowledge  by  commercial  standards  and  have 
put  a  market  value  even  upon  truth.  Your  science,  in  theii* 
eyes,  is  worth  only  what  it  will  bring  when  offered  in  the  form 
of  dynamos,  telephones,  electric  lights,  dye-stuffs,  mining 
machinery,  and  other  merchantable  wares.  These  are  the  real 
materialists — the  worshipers  of  the  pound  weight  and  the  foot 
rule.  It  is  they  who  are  responsible  for  the  current  sarcasm 
aimed  at  "theorists  and  doctrinaires,"  though  they  are  not 
wholly  a  product  of  our  time.  Henry  Crabb  Robinson  tells  us, 
in  his  extraordinary  diary,  that  when  the  great  Humboldt  re- 
turned to  Europe  from  his  honorable  and  successful  expedition 
to  South  America,  and  was  presented  to  the  first  Napoleon, 
the  haughty  warrior  received  the  modest  explorer  and  discov- 
erer with  the  remark:  "  You  are  a  lover  of  botany?"  "  Yes," 
answered  Humboldt,  proud  of  the  service  to  which  he  had  de- 
voted his  life.  "  So  is  my  wife,"  curtly  rejoined  the  conceited 
Emperor,  dismissing  at  once  the  humble  man  of  science  and 
his  belittling  pursuit.  Somewhat  in  the  same  vein,  though  with 
a  very  different  application,  is  an  experience  which  befell  me  in 
my  days  of  youthful  enthusiasm  when,  upon  a  first  visit  to 


13 

Washington,  some  kind  friend  favored  me  with  an  introduction 
to  the  late  Prof.  Baird.  I  carried  my  letter  to  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  with  high  expectations  of  the  pleasure  to  be  de- 
rived from  the  interview  I  was  seeking.  The  note  was  re- 
sponded to  promptly  by  Prof.  Baird,  who  came  from  his  labora- 
tory into  the  museum  to  meet  me.  His  greeting  was  much 
like  Napoleon's,  and  I  suppose  I  may  say  truthfully  that,  until 
the  completion  of  the  colloquy  which  I  am  about  to  relate,  I 
felt  fully  as  important  as  Humboldt  did  during  his  presentation 
at  the  French  Court.  "  So  you  are  fond  of  natural  history?" 
the  Professor  inquired  of  me.  "  I  think  am,"  I  diffidently 
replied.  "  The  reason  I  ask,"  he  continued,  "  is  because  women 
and  children  and  weak-minded  persons  are  usually  those  who 
are  fond  of  natural  history."  It  did  not  occur  to  me  then  to 
wonder  in  which  of  these  classes  the  Professor  himself  claimed 
membership,  but  I  remember  now  that  his  face  bore  a  peculiar 
expression  which  I  think  might  have  been  interpreted  to  mean, 
he  who  devotes  himself  to  the  study  of  nature  needs  to  beware 
of  the  jibes  of  those  who  can  not  understand  the  pursuit  of 
truth  for  truth's  own  sake. 

Although  this  warning  is  not  as  needful  as  it  used  to  be, 
and  although  it  is  likely  to  be  still  less  necessary  as  time  goes 
on,  you  disciples  of  pure  science  should  fortify  yourselves  in 
every  way  possible  against  these  contemners  of  the  impractical. 
But,  of  course,  there  is  no  safety  in  mere  seclusion.  We  live  in 
an  era  of  ceaseless  activity,  in  which  the  principle  of  natural 
selection  operates  quickly  to  eliminate  those  who  refuse  to 
struggle.  This  is  also  an  age  of  cooperation  and  consolidation, 
and  we  shall  find  it  advantageous  to  follow  in  the  path  of 
worldly  wisdom  to  the  extent  of  adopting  a  mild  form  of 
communism.  I  have  no  doubt  it  will  prove  to  be  a  case  of 
protective  mimicry,  and  it  may  even  turn  out  to  be  the  means 
of  our  preservation  as  societies,  to  put  into  a  common  stock 
for  the  general  good  not  only  whatever  of  knowledge,  ability 
and  energy  we  possess,  but  also  all  the  enthusiasm,  devotion 
and  hopefulness  with  which  we  happen  to  be  endowed.  Thus 
shall  we  best  help  one  another  to  stem  the  discouraging  cur- 
rent of  utilitarianism  which  is  ever  dragging  capable  men  away 


from  the  firm  anchorage  they  might  find  in  meditation,  study 
and  investigation. 

But  while  I  plead  for  what  Carlyle  calls  the  Everlasting  Yea, 
"  wherein  whoso  walks  and  works,  it  is  well  with  him,"  I  see 
that  we  cannot  wholly  escape  the  necessity  for  considerations 
of  self-interest  and  self-preservation.  But  the  profits  we  reckon 
up  are  not  the  profits  of  dollars  and  cents.  The  saving  we 
expect  to  effect  is  not  that  of  material  substance,  but  rather 
the  economy  of  time  and  thought.  Scattered  as  we  are  over 
the  broad  field  of  research,  we  require  facility  of  intercom- 
munication for  the  sake  of  acquaintance  with  one  another's 
achievements,  so  that  what  one  man  has  done  need  not  be 
done  after  him.  Life  is  too  brief  to  be  spent  in  duplicating 
work  already  accomplished,  and  never  were  the  sciences  so 
dependent  upon  one  another  as  they  are  to-day.  In  fact,  all 
investigation  seems  to  be  converging  upon  the  philosophy  of 
the  molecule  and  the  atom.  The  anthropologist  and  the 
ethnologist  have  to  call  in  the  biologist  and  the  histologist  to 
help  trace  human  action  to  its  mysterious  beginnings  in  the 
living  cell.  The  biologist  must  apply  to  the  chemist  for  an 
analysis  of  his  so-called  "  physical  basis  of  life,"  and  not  only 
have  the  departments  of  inorganic  and  organic  chemistry 
gradually  merged  into  each  other,  but  their  combined  resources 
are  now  turned  toward  the  synthetical  production  of  not  alone 
organic  substances,  but  even  living  matter.  So  would  the 
chemist  turn  biologist.  On  the  other  hand,  the  physicist  is 
extending  his  boundaries  into  the  domain  of  chemistry  and 
will  before  long  claim  the  whole  region,  on  the  ground  that  all 
chemical  action  can  be  reduced  to  atomic  motions  and  attrac- 
tions. Geology,  we  all  know,  is  as  much  a  matter  of  zoology 
and  botany  as  it  is  of  petrology,  and  both  geology  and 
mineralogy  long  ago  discovered  their  foundation  in  chemistry 
and  physics.  Conversely,  the  zoologists  and  the  botanists  are 
compelled  to  be  geologists  and  geographers,  while  all  sooner 
or  later  get  round  again  to  ethnology  and  archaeology.  Botany, 
particular^  in  its  latest  development  in  the  direction  of  fun- 
gology  and  bacteriology,  has  become  inextricably  tangled  up 
with  chemistry,  and  even  with  physiology,  medicine  and  path- 


i5 

ology.  The  astronomer,  too,  finds  himself  forced  into  close 
relationship  with  both  physics  and  mathematics,  and  as  for  the 
mathematicians,  they  have  about  exhausted  the  possibilities  of 
pure  number  and  have  cast  in  their  lot  with  those  who  deal 
with  masses  and  forces.  Indeed,  we  may  look  upon  them  as 
the  nexus  between  the  purely  physical  and  the  purely  rational, 
or  perhaps  some  would  prefer  to  say  the  z>-rational,  since  they 
have  driven  us  nearly  crazy  with  their  unthinkable  abstractions 
concerning  one-dimensional,  two-dimensional,  and  four-dimen- 
sional space. 

All  these  examples  merely  illustrate  the  interdependence 
of  the  different  departments  of  modern  science  and  the  neces- 
sity that  exists  for  the  economy  of  mental  labor.  It  is  no 
longer  possible  for  the  various  branches  of  learning  to  exist  in 
scattered  and  isolated  centres.  Such  an  arrangement  is  in  it- 
self unscientific,  because  it  is  both  inefficient  and  wasteful. 
What  we  propose  to  do  through  this  Alliance  is  to  furnish  the 
scientific  societies  of  New  York  a  common  ground  to  stand 
upon,  and  eventually  something  that  we  may  rightfully  call 
■"  rapid  transit "  for  thought  and  knowledge.  We  shall  hope 
to  accomplish  this  not  simply  by  supplying  one  organization 
with  information  of  what  is  done  in  another,  and  so  preventing 
the  profitless  threshing  of  old  straw,  but  mainly  by  bringing  to 
light  those  subjects  upon  which  a  union  of  forces  will  produce 
the  best  results.  For  the  immediate  present,  we  shall  prob- 
ably find  the  most  promising  field  for  concentrated  effort  in 
the  presentation  of  the  claims  of  science  to  the  consideration 
of  the  better  educated  portion  of  the  community,  with  a  view 
to  enlisting  sympathy  and  assistance  in  the  work  of  establish- 
ing it  upon  a  basis  comparable  with  that  of  any  other  of  the 
elevating  and  refining  agencies  upon  which  our  people  bestow 
an  appreciative  patronage.  Religion,  organized  benevolence, 
the  fine  arts,  literature,  general  education,  and  even  technical 
training,  receive  generous  and  well-merited  support  and  en- 
couragement. We  learn  with  pride  and  pleasure  of  the  prom- 
ising movements  for  a  stately  cathedral  and  noble  college  halls 
to  crown  the  heights  above  Central  Park;  it  is  with  deepest 
gratification  that  we  behold  the  erection  of  the  beautiful  and  ap- 


16 

propriate  buildings  which  a  broad-minded  liberality  has  just  be- 
stowed upon  the  United  Charities  and  other  humane  associations, 
upon  the  new  Fine  Arts  Society,  and  upon  the  whole  mass  of 
music  lovers  in  our  midst ;  and  it  is  with  hearty  rejoicing  that 
we  hear  of  each  addition  to  the  valuable  collections  of  our  great 
public  libraries,  and  of  every  new  contribution  to  the  superb 
treasures  of  our  worthy  Museum  of  Art.  And  in  this  list  of 
our  city's  refining  agencies  let  us  not  forget  to  include  the 
splendid  institution  to  whose  hospitality  we  are  indebted  to- 
night— under  whose  roof  it  is  our  privilege  to  take  the  first 
public  step  in  the  important  project  to  which  we  have  com- 
mitted ourselves  and  our  societies.  It,  too,  has  been  a  recipi- 
ent of  the  people's  favor  and  approval,  though  it  has  repaid 
ten  times  over  all  that  has  been  bestowed  upon  it,  and  stands 
forth  to-day  a  prominent  example  of  the  profitableness  of  the 
investments  which  the  community  is  making  in  institutions  for 
popular  education.  This  result  is  all  the  more  satisfactory  be- 
cause this  is  essentially  a  commercial  community,  accustomed, 
as  I  have  already  said,  to  appraise  even  knowledge  according 
to  the  return  it  makes  upon  the  capital  expended  in  its  acqui- 
sition. But  at  last  this  very  "  practical "  city  is  beginning  to 
realize  that  all  profit  is  not  necessarily  in  kind — that  an  outlay 
of  money  may  produce  a  purely  moral  and  intellectual  income 
of  great  value ;  and  the  recent  manifestations  of  public  spirit 
which  I  have  cited  are  evidence  that  we  are  in  the  midst  of  a 
local  renaissance  from  which  our  societies  cannot  fail  to  receive 
great  benefit.  As  I  have  shown,  much  has  been,  or  is  being 
done  for  almost  every  sort  of  philanthropic  enterprise;  but  as 
yet  pure  science,  the  science  of  research,  has  failed  to  share  in 
this  revival  of  liberality.  Illustrative  science  we  see  tolerably 
well  provided  for  in  this  finely  equipped  museum,  but  this 
objective  side  of  science  should  be  supplementary  to  the  more 
subjective  side  which  we  represent,  and  the  two  phases  of  one 
division  of  learning  should  go  together  and  receive  each  its 
proportionate  degree  of  patronage  and  support.  Although 
our  turn  may  come  last,  it  surely  will  come,  and  at  no  very 
distant  day.  With  a  view  to  the  outcome  which  we  trust  we 
already  behold  materializing,  this  Alliance  has  not  been  formed 


i7 

a  moment  too  soon.  I  trust  that  it  is  apparent  from  this 
gathering  to-night  that  we  are  prepared  to  give  an  impressive 
account  of  ourselves  and  to  sustain  the  claim  of  this  organiza- 
tion to  be  considered  one  of  the  important  uplifting  forces  in 
this  crowded  centre  of  life  and  activity.  To  just  what  uses  we 
propose  to  devote  the  means  which  we  confidently  expect  to 
receive,  will  be  told  you  by  the  speakers  who  are  to  follow. 
They  will  set  forth  our  hopes  for  a  much-needed  endowment 
of  original  research  and  publication ;  our  plans  for  the  foun- 
dation of  a  distinctively  scientific  library,  now  wholly  lack- 
ing; our  eager  readiness  to  assume  a  part  in  popular  educa- 
tional work,  still  incomplete  and  capable  of  extension;  and 
our  desire  and  aspiration  for  the  possession  of  an  edifice  in 
which  all  these  societies  shall  be  properly  and  adequately 
housed;  a  building  which  shall  stand  as  another  permanent 
reminder  to  this  excitably  energetic  people  that  knowledge  is, 
after  all,  the  most  trustworthy  source  of  power ;  which  shall  be 
to  this  nervous  and  restless  community  a  new  source  of  calm- 
ing and  tranquilizing  influence.  These  objects  we  shall  cer- 
tainly accomplish  in  due  time  if  wre  persevere  with  firm  faith 
and  steadfast  purpose,  and,  having  accomplished  them,  we  shall 
find  that  these  societies  have  derived  advantages  from  this 
Alliance  just  in  proportion  to  the  sincerity  and  self-devotion 
with  which  they  have  sought  to  confer  advantages  upon  the 
magnificent  city  which  it  is  our  pride  to  call  our  home  and, 
through  it,  upon  the  general  cause  of  science  throughout  the 
world. 


ADDRESS  OF  HON.  ADDISON  BROWN, 

ON   THE 

NEED    OF     ENDOWMENT     FOR     SCIENTIFIC     RE- 
SEARCH AND  PUBLICATION. 


Twenty  years  ago  Prof.  Tyndall  delivered  in  New  York  and 
in  other  cities  of  this  country  a  series  of  lectures  upon  light. 
The  last  of  the  series  was  an  impressive  plea  for  a  more 
thorough  prosecution  of  original  research  in  pure  science;  and 
incidentally,  for  the  need  of  endowments  to  maintain  it.  I  was 
fortunate  in  having  the  opportunity  to  listen  to  that  remarkable 
course  of  lectures  and  to  that  plea  for  science.  Its  impression  has 
never  left  me.  The  impression  was  the  deeper,  because  Tyn- 
dall set  upon  it  the  seal  of  self-denial.  Some  $30,000,  nearly 
the  entire  net  proceeds  of  his  lectures  in  the  United  States — 
money  for  which  he  undoubtedly  had  abundant  use  in  his  own 
affairs,  or  at  least  in  the  prosecution  of  researches  in  his  own 
country,  and  which  by  all  precedent  and  the  example  of  other 
lecturers  he  would  have  taken  with  him — all  this  he  has  given 
to  the  science  of  this  country,  endowing  therewith,  in  1885, 
three  scholarships  for  the  prosecution  of  original  research  in 
physics,  one  under  the  direction  of  Columbia  College,  one  under 
Harvard,  and  a  third  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  truths  uttered  and  the  example  set  by  this  self-denying 
master  have  already  many  times  borne  fruit.  The  late  Presi- 
dent Barnard,  of  Columbia  College,  who  was  a  warm  supporter 
of  Prof.  Tyndall  when  here,  bequeathed  to  Columbia  upon  his 
decease  a  few  years  since,  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dollars  for 
the  endowment  of  another  fellowship,  for  the  encouragement  of 
scientific  research,  upon  substantially  the  same  terms  as  those 
of  the  Tyndall  Scholarships.  In  other  parts  of  the  country 
there  have  been  some  other  endowments  for  similar  purposes. 
In  the  last  year  Columbia  has  also  received  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  the  munificent  bequest  of  Mr.  Da  Costa,  for 
tin:  establishment  of  the  department  of  biology.  Although 
this  bequest  is  not  primarily  for  the  prosecution  of  original 


research,  it  is  not  restricted  by  hampering  conditions,  and  will 
to  some  extent,  it  is  hoped,  admit  of  a  direct  and  continuous 
support  of  the  highest  and  most  advanced  studies. 

The  appeal  made  by  Tyndall  has  been  often  renewed  by 
scientific  men ;  by  the  heads  of  universities  ;  by  the  presidents 
of  scientific  associations,  here  and  abroad;  and  by  none,  per- 
haps, more  eloquently  than  by  Dr.  Edwin  Ray  Lancaster,  in 
his  address  before  the  biological  section  of  the  British  Associa- 
tion at  Southport,  in   1883. 

What  shall  we  say  to  the  call  and  the  examples  of  such 
men  ?  Was  the  gift  of  Tyndall  based  only  upon  an  idle  fancy  ? 
Or  was  it  the  result  of  a  clear  perception  of  a  profound  truth, 
viz:  America's  need  of  that  money  as  a  stimulus  and  support 
to  more  scientific  research ;  the  call  on  him  being  felt  to  be  the 
more  imperious,  because  the  need  of  it  was  so  plain  to  him, 
while  obscure  to  others ;  and  making  his  act,  therefore,  a  noble 
instance  of  self-renunciation  in  an  unappreciated  cause  ? 

"  To  keep  society  as  regards  science  in  healthy  play,"  he 
says,  "  three  classes  of  workers  are  necessary :  " 

1.  "  The  investigator  of  natural  truth,  whose  vocation  it  is 
to  pursue  that  truth  and  extend  the  field  of  discovery  for 
truth's  own  sake,  without  reference  to  practical  ends ; 

2.  "  The  teacher,  to  diffuse  this  knowledge     *     *     * 

3.  "  The  applier  of  these  principles  and  truths  to  make  them 
available  to  the  needs,  the  comforts  or  the  luxuries  of  life     *     * 

"  These  three  classes  ought  to  co-exist  and  interact.  The 
popular  notions  of  science  *  *  *  often  relate,  not  to 
science  strictly  so  called,  but  to  the  application  of  science." 

The  great  discoveries  of  scientific  truth,  he  continues,  are 
"  not  made  by  practical  men,  and  they  never  will  be  made  by 
them  ;  because  their  minds  are  beset  by  ideas  which,  though 
of  the  highest  value  in  one  point  of  view,  are  not  those  which 
stimulate  the  original  discoverer." 

In  a  chance  conversation,  a  few  weeks  since,  I  received  a  con- 
firmation of  these  words,  so  direct  and  unexpected,  that  it  may 
bear  citation.  I  was  talking  with  an  electrical  expert  who  had 
made  several  very  interesting  and  important  inventions.  I 
asked  him  of  how   much   importance  he  conceived  that  the 


20 

scientific  men  of  the  closet,  the  original  investigators  so-called, 
had  been  in  working  out  the  great  inventions  of  electricity 
during  the  last  fifty  years, — the  telegraph  cables,  telephones, 
the  electric  lighting,  and  the  electric  motors ;  and  whether 
these  achievements  were  not  in  reality  due,  mainly,  to  the 
practical  men,  the  inventors,  who  knew  what  they  were  after, 
rather  than  to  the  men  of  science  who  rarely  applied  their 
work  to  practical  use  ? 

"  Not  at  all,"  he  said,  "  the  scientific  men  are  of  the  utmost 
importance  ;  everything  that  has  been  done  has  proceeded 
upon  the  basis  of  what  they  have  previously  discovered,  and 
upon  the  principles  and  laws  which  they  have  laid  down. 
Nowadays  we  never  work  at  random.  Look  at  that  electric 
light !  Of  the  energy  expended  in  producing  it,  only  7  per 
cent,  appears  as  light;  the  rest,  93  per  cent.,  is  wasted,  mainly 
in  heat.  We  are  all  now  trying  to  prevent  this  enormous 
waste.  I  want  to  reverse  that  proportion ;  but  if  I  can  reduce 
the  waste  to  only  33  per  cent,  a  patent  of  my  invention  will  be 
worth  millions  of  dollars  for  its  economy  in  production.  In 
seeking  this  we  do  not  work  at  random.  I  go  to  my  labora- 
tory ;  study  the  applications  of  the  principles,  facts,  and  laws 
which  the  great  scientists  like  Faraday,  Thompson  and  Max- 
well have  worked  out,  and  endeavor  to  find  such  devices  as 
shall  secure  my  aim." 

This  is  but  an  expression,  in  another  form,  of  what  Tyndall 
said  twenty  years  ago  : 

"  Behind  all  our  practical  applications,  there  is  a  region  of 
intellectual  action  to  which  practical  men  have  rarely  con- 
tributed, but  from  which  they  draw  all  their  supplies.  Cut 
them  off  from  that  region,  and  they  become  eventually  help- 
less." 

What  is  true  in  one  department  of  natural  science,  is,  I 
apprehend,  equally  true  in  all. 

The  practical  men  do  not  work  at  random,  but  upon  the 
basis  of  what  scientific  research  and  publication  have  previously 
put  within  their  grasp. 

It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  not  only  the  advancement  of 
knowledge  itself,  but  all  possibility  of  any  continuous  advance 


21 

in  those  great  improvements  which  are  to  mitigate  the  sorrows, 
and  promote  the  health,  the  conveniences  and  the  comforts  of 
men,  is  vitally  dependent  upon  the  progress  of  scientific  re- 
search. In  recent  years  how  marvelous  have  these  improve- 
ments been !  Besides  those  that  are  most  common  and  familiar 
to  all,  what  miracles  almost  have  been  achieved  through  the 
photograph,  the  spectroscope,  the  microscope;  by  the  dis- 
covery of  the  sources  of  fermentation  and  of  putrefaction ;  by 
the  discovery  of  anesthetics  and  the  application  of  antiseptic 
methods  in  surgery,  and  in  the  treatment  of  other  lesions. 
These  latter  discoveries  alone  have  ameliorated  beyond  expres- 
sion the  sufferings  of  man;  they  save  more  lives  than  war  and 
pestilence  destroy,  surpassing  even  in  that  regard  the  safety 
lamp  of  Sir  Humphrey  Davy — an  invention  which,  at  the  time 
it  was  made,  was  said  to  have  exceeded  every  previous  dis- 
covery as  a  means  of  saving  human  life,  except,  possibly, 
inocculation  for  smallpox. 

This  vital  relation  between  the  advancement  of  knowledge 
and  the  welfare  of  man  furnishes  an  all-sufficient  reason  for  the 
continuous  and  never-ending  prosecution  of  original  research. 
Of  necessity  the  original  work  of  discovery  must  always  lead; 
that  must  always  precede  the  practical  applications.  The 
necessity  for  such  research  must,  therefore,  continue,  so  long 
as  science  and  human  society  endure.  As  there  is  no  limit  to 
the  advance  of  knowledge,  so  there  can  be  no  limit  to  the 
benefactions  it  is  capable  of  conferring  upon  mankind.  The 
more  rapid  the  advance,  the  more  speedy  the  enjoyment  of  its 
fruits.  In  this  relation  alone,  the  need  of  ample  provision  for 
scientific  progress  is  one  that  addresses  itself  equally  to  the  na- 
tion, to  the  state,  to  philanthropists,  and  to  all  who  would  ad- 
vance the  welfare  of  man,  on  the  broadest  and  most  enduring 
lines. 

How  shall  such  research  be  maintained  and  extended?  The 
investigator  of  pure  science  does  not  work  for  profit.  His  dis- 
coveries are  not  marketable.  The  law  allows  no  patent  upon 
a  principle  of  nature  or  the  discovery  of  a  new  truth.  Newton 
could  not  patent  the  law  of  gravitation,  nor  Volta  the  galvanism 
of  the  voltaic  pile;  nor  Ehrenberg  and  Schwann,  the  discovery 


22 

of  the  widespread  influence  of  bacteria ;  nor  Faraday,  nor 
Henry,  electro-magnetism  ;  nor  Joule,  his  correlation  of  forces  ; 
nor  Jackson,  his  anesthetics  ;  nor  Lister,  his  antiseptic  treat- 
ment;  nor  Koch  nor  Pasteur,  their  discoveries  of  the  bacilli, 
the  destruction  of  which  may  lead  to  the  cure  or  amelioration 
of  terrible  diseases.  To  the  practical  men  and  to  the  inventors, 
on  the  other  hand,  who  apply  to  the  specific  wants  of  men  the 
truths  and  principles  which  the  scientists  have  made  known  to 
them,  the  law,  in  the  form  of  a  patent,  gives  a  monopoly  of 
from  fourteen  to  twenty-one  years.  They  thus  obtain,  as  a 
rule,  a  reasonable,  and,  in  some  cases,  even  an  excessive, 
pecuniary  reward.  In  this  country  alone  nearly  500,000 
patents  have  been  issued  ;  they  are  increasing  at  the  rate  of 
about  25,000  per  year.  In  the  extreme  multiplication  of 
patents  .affecting  a  large  part  of  everything  we  use,  the  whole 
world,  it  might  almost,  be  said,  is  paying  tribute  to  the  inven- 
tors and  practical  men ;  while  to  the  original  discoverers  who 
have  made  so  much  of  all  this  possible,  there  is  no  promise  of 
pecuniary  reward. 

This  is  not  said  by  way  of  complaint.  In  the  nature  of 
things,  it  is  scarcely  avoidable.  The  aims,  the  motives,  the 
methods  and  the  genius  of  the  two  classes  of  minds,  are  and 
ever  must  be  widely  distinct.  Original  discoverers  cannot  be 
turned  aside  from  their  special  work  to  become  mechanics  and 
inventors,  without  infinite  loss.  Prof.  Henry  had  one  form  of 
the  electric  telegraph  in  actual  use  some  years  before  Morse 
conceived  it.*  But  how  great  would  have  been  the  loss  to 
science,  without  any  corresponding  gain,  had  Prof.  Henry  in 
1830  turned  away  from  pure  science,  to  do  the  subsequent 
work  of  Morse  in  adapting  the  telegraph  to  common  and  valu- 
able use  ! 

Research  in  pure  science  can  never  be  made  a  self-supporting 

pursuit.     It  can  never,  therefore,  be  carried  forward  broadly, 

and    continuously,   and    effectively,   except   through    men   sus- 

1  by  sonic  form  of  stipend  or  endowment.     Occasionally, 

it  is  true,  men  of  independent  fortune,  like  Harvey  and  Darwin 


.  Ionian  Report,  1878,  pp.  159,  262. 


23 

and  Lyell  and  Agassiz,  have  devoted  themselves  to  original 
research  upon  their  own  means,  and  have  accomplished  most 
important  results.  But  these  instances  are  rare.  Many  other 
persons,  too,  with  aptitudes  and  tastes  for  research,  though  not 
following  a  scientific  career,  have  carried  on  private  researches 
in  the  intervals  of  leisure,  stolen  from  the  exacting  demands  of 
professional  or  business  life  ;  and  these  have,  in  the  aggregate, 
added  no  small  amount  to  the  common  stock  of  knowledge. 

It  is  no  disparagement,  however,  of  these  subordinate 
workers  to  say,  that  nearly  all  the  great  discoveries,  and  nearly 
all  the  great  advances  along  the  lines  of  knowledge,  have  been 
achieved  by  men  who  in  the  main  have  devoted  their  lives  to 
the  work,  and  have  been  supported  through  institutions  or  en- 
dowments which  made  this  devotion  possible.  Government 
appointments,  professorial  chairs,  or  salaried  positions  in  scien- 
tific institutions  of  some  kind,  have  been  and  must  continue  to 
be,  our  chief  dependence.  And  it  is  manifest  that  these  can 
only  be  maintained  by  Government  aid,  or  by  the  bounty  of 
private  individuals.  The  former  is  mainly  the  European  sys- 
tem ;  the  latter,  in  the  main,  is  ours.  There,  universities  are 
founded  by  the  government;  here,  chiefly  by  the  people. 

In  Germany  there  are  twenty-one  universities  maintained  by 
the  government.  In  each  of  these,  as  Dr.  Lancaster  states, 
there  are  five  independent  establishments  in  the  Department  of 
Biology  alone,  viz  :  In  physiology,  anatomy,  pathology,  zoology 
and  botany.  At  the  head  of  each  of  these  establishments  there 
is  a  professor,  with  two  paid  assistants,  making  altogether 
about  300  for  biological  research  in  Germany  ;  and  he  esti- 
mates about  one-quarter  of  that  number  in  the  same  depart- 
ment in  England.  In  all  the  sciences,  therefore,  there  would 
probably  be  found  in  Germany  from  800  to  1 ,000  persons  of 
high  scientific  attainments,  supported  by  the  government  in 
the  universities,  who  are  regularly  and  systematically  engaged 
in  the  discovery  of  new  scientific  truth.  For  it  is  there  made 
both  the  object  and  the  duty  of  the  professors  of  natural  science, 
to  carry  on  original  investigations  by  work  in  the  laboratory. 
Their  positions  are  obtained  through  previous  distinction  in 
such  investigations  ;  and  it  is  for  this  work  that  their  small  but 
fixed  stipend  is  paid  by  the  government. 


24 

In  the  College  de  France,  also  maintained  by  the  govern- 
ment, there  is  the  same  requirement,  though  with  a  larger 
salary  to  the  professors,  and  with  the  added  duty  imposed  on 
them  to  deliver  to  the  students  about  forty  lectures  yearly  upon 
the  subjects  of  the  professors'  researches;  while  in  Germany  the 
professors  also  receive  from  each  student  who  attends  their 
lectures,  a  moderate  fee,  which  serves  to  increase  their  meagre 
stipend,  as  well  as  to  stimulate  their  activity  and  usefulness. 
Under  this  system,  Germany  has  become  the  greatest  school 
of  science,  and  the  resort  of  the  whole  world. 

In  this  country  the  opposite  system  prevails.  The  colleges 
and  universities  are  mainly  private  foundations,  dependent  on 
private  gifts  and  endowments.  The  colleges  are  unwisely 
multiplied.  All  are  more  or  less  cramped  for  money.  This 
limits  the  number  of  professors  and  assistants  appointed  for  in- 
struction, and  crowds  them  with  routine  work.  The  result  is 
that  in  all  but  a  few  colleges,  and  in  these  until  comparatively 
recently,  the  duties  of  instruction  have  left  to  the  professors 
but  little  time  or  opportunity  for  the  prosecution  of  original 
investigations  ;  and  these  with  but  poor  equipment  and  inade- 
quate means. 

In  not  one  of  all  our  colleges  and  universities,  so  far  as  I 
have  been  able  to  ascertain,  is  there  a  single  professorship  en- 
dowed or  founded,  even  in  part,  for  the  avowed  object  of  origi- 
nal scientific  research.  Instruction,  not  discovery,  is  the  only 
avowed  object.  It  is  to  the  great  credit  of  American  profes- 
and  teachers  that,  with  so  much  routine  work  on  their 
hands,  and  so  little  leisure  for  research,  they  should  have  ac- 
complished by  purely  voluntary  studies  so  much  as  is  shown 
in  their  contributions  to  our  scientific  publications. 

To  what  is  said  above,  perhaps  a  virtual  exception  should  be 

made  as  respects  our  astronomical  observatories,  in  which,  the 

labors  of  instruction  being  less,  original  work  has  been,  perhaps, 

and  lias  been  accomplished  with  most  signal  success. 

nt  this  may  possibly  apply  to  our  medical  schools 

And  in  other  departments,  generally,  wherever  time  and 

opportunity  have  been  afforded,  much  original  work  has  been 

done  by  our  proTessors  ;  some  of  it  of  the  first  class.     This  is 


25 

attested,  not  to  mention  living  instances,  by  the  work  of  Prof. 
Henry  at  Princeton,  Dr.  Torrey  at  Columbia,  Dr.  Silliman  at 
Yale,  Dr.  Gray  at  Harvard,  and  many  others  that  might  be 
named.  In  a  number  of  the  States,  also,  and  at  Washington, 
there  have  been  maintained  by  the  State  or  Nation  a  number 
of  scientific  men,  in  connection  with  certain  State  or  National 
interests,  who  have  accomplished  most  important  results  ;  of 
these,  Dr.  James  Hall,  of  this  State,  is  a  conspicuous  instance. 
At  Harvard  and  at  other  colleges  some  noble  opportunities 
for  special  study  have  been  also  provided  in  their  scientific 
schools  and  museums  ;  notably  in  the  Zoological  Museum, 
the  Jefferson  Physical  Laboratory,  and  the  Peabody  Museum 
of  Archaeology  at  Cambridge,  and  also  in  the  Department  of 
Hygiene  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  But  in  most  of 
these  the  great  complaint  is  the  lack  of  necessary  endowments 
to  make  possible  the  active  advanced  work  in  original  discovery 
for  which  those  institutions  are  designed.  In  the  Peabody 
Museum  there  was  in  1891  a  gift  of  $10,000  by  Mrs.  Hemenway 
to  establish  a  post-graduate  Fellowship  ;  and  also  a  gift  of  like 
amount  by  Mr.  Wolcott,  for  the  general  support  of  the  museum's 
work.  New  York  also  has  within  a  few  years  past  seen  spring 
up  almost  as  by  magic,  through  the  efforts  of  a  single  leading 
spirit,  seconded  by  other  public  spirited  men  and  women,  and 
by  municipal  aid,  a  Museum  of  Natural  History  that  bids  fair 
to  stand  in  the  front  rank  of  scientific  opportunities  ;  but  the 
endowments  of  fellowships  and  professors  necessary  to  make 
its  opportunities  available  in  active  research,  are  as  yet  wanting. 

England  holds  a  position  midway  between  the  United  States 
and  Germany.  Her  scientific  men  lament  her  deficiencies. 
They  are  striving  to  increase  their  means  for  scientific  work, 
and  are  doing  so  yearly. 

If  experience  teaches  anything,  it  is  that  no  broad  and  gen- 
eral development  of  scientific  work  of  the  first  class  is  possible, 
except  either  through  independent  establishments  for  special 
work;  or  else  by  the  university  system,  in  which  professors  in 
science  and  their  assistants  are  first  selected  on  account  of  their 
previous  distinction  in  original  research,  and  are  then  appointed 
to  continue  that  work,  and  in  the  teaching  of  students,  to  trans- 


26 

mit  to  them  the  zeal  of  discovery  and  the  true  methods  of 
advance. 

It  matters  little  whether  the  support  of  the  university  or  of 
special  institutions  for  research  comes  from  the  government 
or  from  private  endowment,  provided  the  provision  is  adequate 
and  constant.  The  difficulty  with  us  has  been,  and  still  is,  that 
funds  are  insufficient,  the  means  and  equipment  inadequate, 
and  the  time  allowed  to  the  professors  for  research  insufficient. 
There  has  been  too  much  of  the  schoolmaster,  and  too  little  of 
the  real  professor.  Too  great  absorption  of  the  professor's 
time  in  the  work  of  instruction  is  injurious  to  both  teacher  and 
pupil.  The  most  stimulating  of  teachers  is  he  who  by  daily 
experiment  is  in  vital  touch  with  Nature ;  he  who  brings  from 
the  fires  of  the  laboratory  the  warmth,  the  illumination  and  the 
inspiration  of  his  own  researches. 

This  is  now  well  recognized ;  and,  so  far  as  their  means  will 
permit,  the  leading  colleges  are  by  degrees  relieving  their  pro- 
fessors of  the  work  of  elementary  instruction,  so  that  they  may 
tne  better  prosecute  original  researches,  and  at  the  same  time 
become  best  qualified  for  the  highest  work  of  instruction. 
This  system  will,  doubtless,  demand  watchfulness  and  discrimi- 
nation. To  prevent  abuses,  regulation  and  responsibility  majr 
have  to  be  imposed.  But  it  involves  the  appointment  of  addi- 
tional instructors.  It  requires  added  means.  And  this  is  in- 
dispensable as  a  part  of  the  transition  of  our  leading  colleges- 
to  the  university  system.  It  is  indispensable,  also,  if  we  are 
to  have  in  this  country  any  considerable  systematic  prosecu- 
tion of  original  research.  We  must  use  existing  instrumentali- 
ties and  existing  institutions.  And  all  experience  shows  that 
ide  of  the  few  government  positions,  and  in  the  absence  of 
ial  institutions  for  research,  the  professorial  chairs  are  best 
adapted  to  such  investigations.  No  greater  service  could  be 
icience  than  to  make  such  endowments  as  should  in- 
systematic  and  continuous  research  by  the  professors  as  a 
part  of  the  new  university  system. 

Endowments  for  the  same  object,  and  operating  in  the  same 

line,  might   also   take  a  different  form,  viz.:  the  endowment  of 

sorial  fellowships,  each,  say,  of  $1,000  annual  in- 


27 

come;  to  be  controlled  and  awarded  by  some  independent 
scientific  body  (such  as  this  Alliance  might  afford)  for  distinc- 
tion in  active  scientific  investigations,  either  within  the  country 
or  within  the  State.  I  know  of  no  more  quickening  impulse 
to  original  scientific  research  than  such  as  would  be  given  to 
it  by  those  means. 

How  backward  we  have  been  in  this  country,  through  the 
lack  of  proper  endowments,  in  making  use  of  the  best  existing 
opportunities  for  research,  may  be  illustrated  by  a  single 
instance. 

Some  twenty  years  ago  a  school  was  established  at  Naples 
for  the  prosecution  of  marine  biological  research.  It  is  most 
thoroughly  equipped,  and,  being  a  general  resort,  is  the  most 
advantageous  for  study  of  any  in  the  world.  It  is  maintained 
by  a  charge  of  $500  per  year  upon  each  table  occupied ;  each 
occupant  being  entitled  to  all  the  advantages  of  the  institution. 
Of  these  tables,  the  German  States  for  several  years  have  taken 
thirteen;  Italy,  eight;  Austria,  Russia,  Spain  and  England, 
each  three;  Switzerland,  Belgium  and  Holland,  each  one;  the 
United  States,  until  1891,  none,  except  one  table  supported 
by  Williams  College  for  two  years,  and  one  by  the  University 
of  Pennsylvania  for  one  year.  Prior  to  that  time  about  fifteen 
other  American  students  in  all  had  obtained  places  at  the 
tables  taken  and  paid  for  by  other  nations.  In  1890  this  ar- 
rangement was  prohibited  by  the  administration  of  the  institu- 
tion ;  and  the  right  to  a  table  in  1891  was  secured  to  Americans, 
only  through  the  private  benefaction  of  Maj.  Alex.  Henry 
Davis,  of  Syracuse.  For  the  year  1892  the  use  of  a  table  has 
been  secured  through  a  subscription  started  by  the  American 
Association  for  the  advancement  of  science,  towards  which  the 
Association  itself  granted  out  of  its  scanty  funds  one  hundred 
dollars,  and  was  the  means,  I  believe,  of  procuring  the  rest.* 

We  have  not,  however,  been  wholly  without  some  such 
means  of  study  in  this  country,  through  the  marine  biological 
laboratories  established  some  years  ago  at  Newport  and  at 
Wood's  Holl,  by  Prof.  Alex.  Agassiz.  The  former  has  been  now 
enlarged  so  as  to  accommodate  eight  advanced  students,  besides 

*See  Proc.  Am.  Assn.,  1891,  Vol.  40,  p.  449-451. 


28 

the  Professor  and  his  assistant.*  The  Johns  Hopkins  Univer- 
sity, also,  has  supplied  some  opportunities  of  this  kind  by  its 
summer  school,  formerly  at  Beaufort ;  later,  at  Jamaica  ;  but 
at  present,  as  I  understand,  it  is  without  any  permanent  loca- 
tion. 

Our  neighbor,  the  Brooklyn  Institute,  has  organized  similar 
investigations,  on  a  minor  scale,  during  the  summer  months  at 
different  places  on  Long  Island.  But  what  is  needed  for  the 
most  effective  work,  is  suitable  endownents  for  professors  and 
advanced  students,  in  connection  with  an  adequate  Biological 
Laboratory,  such  as  the  Newport  one  enlarged  might  afford, 
equal  in  means  and  equipment  to  that  at  Naples,  or  at  least 
to  that  recently  completed,  largely  through  private  enterprise, 
at  Plymouth,  England. f 

II. 

Immediately  connected  with  our  colleges  and  universities  is 
another  field,  in  which  additional  endownments  are  greatly 
needed,  viz:  for  fellowships  in  science  for  post-graduate  studies. 

Upon  the  post-graduate  workers,  the  future  of  science,  and 
the  recruits  for  future  teachers  and  professors,  must  necessarily 
depend.  In  that  view  the  importance  of  post-graduate  en- 
dowments in  science  can  scarcely  be  magnified.  The  great 
majority  of  the  young  men  from  whom  all  the  new  recruits 
must  be    drawn,   have   little   or  no  pecuniary  means.     After 

•Report  Harvard  Col.,  1891,  p.  182. 

fin  his  address  before  the  American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of 
Science,  in  189 1,  President  Prescott,  referring  to  this  general  subject,  said  : 

To       *      nurture      *      investigation  in  science  is  the  largest  opportunity  be- 
fore the  American  people.     Research,  systematic  and  wisely  directed,  requires 
good  organization  and  strong  support,  the  support  of  many  powers.     It  must 
have   the    support    of  able    and   persistent   men.      It   needs    the    conference    of 
workers,  and  the  dissemination  of  knowledge  in  societies  like  this.     It  wants  the 
the  confidence  of  the  public.      It  asks  and  will  always  obtain  the 
nt,  helpful  use  of  the  press.     It  requires  distinct  provision  in  colleges,  and 
in  the  institutions  of  higher  education.     It  ought  to  be  sustained  expressly  by  the 
anient,  both   in  the  several  States  and  under  the  United  States,  and  sus- 
on   broad  and   permanent  foundations.      Still,  it  needs  private  benefac- 
1,  the  growth  of  years.      Let  it  be  the  demand  of  all,  and  let 
find  Utterance  everywhere.      Proceedings  1891,  Vol.  40,  p.  440. 


29 

graduating,  often  through  many  difficulties,  they  must  face  the 
question  of  their  future  calling.  They  must  consider  what 
promise  of  a  reasonable  and  comfortable  support  a  life  devoted 
to  science  affords.  If  this  risk  should  not  deter  them,  still 
there  are  many  with  talents  of  a  high  order  who  would  be  ab- 
solutely unable  to  proceed  further  in  the  advanced  scientific 
studies  necessary  to  qualify  them  to  enter  upon  remunerative 
scientific  work,  or  to  obtain  situations  as  professors  br  assist- 
ants, except  by  the  aid  of  substantial  endowments  for  their 
support,  during  the  three  or  four  years  more  of  necessary  as- 
siduous study. 

In  the  stress  of  modern  life,  and  in  the  allurements  towards 
more  certain  pecuniary  results,  nothing  but  such  endowments 
can  avert  the  withdrawal  from  scientific  pursuits,  of  many 
young  men  of  high  promise,  whose  genius  and  tastes  and 
ambition  strongly  incline  them  to  science,  and  who  would  be 
secured  to  it  if  this  temporary  support  were  afforded. 

The  endowments  of  our  colleges  and  universities  in  aid  of 
post-graduate  work  in  science  are  much  less,  I  suppose,  than 
is  commonly  imagined.  I  find  no  such  support  for  post- 
graduate work  in  science,  either  at  Cornell  University,  at  the 
University  of  the  City  of  New  York,  at  Brown  University,  at 
Amherst,  or  even  at  the  Johns  Hopkins  University.  No  state- 
ment of  the  endowments. of  the  new  Clark  University  at  Wor- 
cester has  as  yet  been  published.  Princeton,  though  having 
a  hundred  under-graduate  scholarships,  has  but  one  post- 
graduate fellowship  for  science ;  Yale,  but  two — the  Silliman 
and  the  Sloane  Fellowships. 

Columbia  College  has  two  fellowships  expressly  restricted 
to  science,  viz. :  The  Tyndall  Fellowship  of  $648  annually, 
and  the  Barnard  Fellowship,  before  referred  to,  of  about  $500 
annually.  Besides  these,  however,  twenty-four  general  uni- 
versity fellowships  have  been  established,  of  $500  each,  for  post- 
graduate study,  of  which  eighteen  are  in  present  operation. 
About  one-third  of  these  are  assigned  to  science  ;  making  now 
eight  for  science  at  Columbia,  with  probably  two  more  in  1893 
or  1894.  In  architecture,  moreover,  there  are  three  additional 
noble  post-graduate  fellowships  at  Columbia,  the  Schermerhorn 


30 

of  $1,300  annually,  and  the  two  McKim  Fellowships  of  $1,000 
each,  to  support  study  in  foreign  travel.  In  the  Medical  De- 
partment, also,  there  are  five  valuable  prizes  for  proficiency. 

The  University  of  Pennsylvania  has  the  Tyndall  Fellowship, 
before  referred  to  ;  and,  in  the  Department  of  Hygiene,  an  ad- 
mirable laboratory  fitted  up  by  Mr.  Henry  C.  Lea,  with  a  fel- 
lowship of  $10,000  endowed  by  Mr.  Thomas  A.  Scott,  at  present 
applied  to  original  research  in  bacteriology. 

At  Harvard, besides  the  three  Bullard  Fellowships  of  $5,000 
each,  established  in  1 891,  to  promote  original  research  in  the 
medical  school,  there  are  two  post-graduate  fellowships  re- 
stricted to  science  exclusively  ;  namely,  the  Tyndall  Fellowship 
of  about  $500  annually,  and  the  income  of  the  recently  estab- 
lished Joseph  Lovering  Fund,  the  principal  of  which  is  now 
about  $8,000.  There  are  also  eleven  other  general  fellowships, 
viz.:  The  Parker,  the  Kirkland  and  the  Morgan  Fellowships, 
available  for  promising  graduate  students  in  any  branch  ;  of 
which  about  five  have  been  usually  assigned  to  science.  These 
fellowships  give  an  income  of  from  $450  to  $700  a  year. 
Harvard  has  also  forty-six  scholarships  available  for  graduate 
students,  varying  in  income  from  $150  to  $300  each,  of  which 
about  seventeen  are  assigned  to  science.  During  the  last  year, 
according  to  the  report  of  Prof.  Pierce,  the  Dean,  there  were 
193  applications  for  those  post-graduate  fellowships  and  scolar- 
ships,  seventy-one  of  which  were  in  science.  Only  one-third 
of  the  applicants  could  receive  the  aid.     The  Dean  adds  : 

"  The  number  of  appointments  is  still  very  insufficient  to  meet 
the  demands  of  promising  students    who    wish  to  enter  the 
graduate  school  and  are  unable  to  do  so  without  assistance."* 
The  tables  published  by  him  indicate  that  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  those  not  aided  withdrew  from  science;  and  that  many 
others  who  were  entered  for  the  first  year  in    the    graduate 
school,  would,  if  not  aided,  afterwards  leave.     It  is  gratifying 
to  observe  the  further  fact,  so  encouraging  also  for  the  young 
luates    who    wish,    if  possible,   to   enter  upon  a  scientific 
1  r,  that  all  who  had  enjoyed  these  fellowships  for  the  full 
term   of  three  years,  and   did  not  continue  their  studies  fur- 
ther  abroad,  at  once  received  honorable  positions. 
Report  I  [arvard  ( !ol  1X91,  p.  92. 


3i 

From  the  above  synopsis  it  appears  that  in  all  these  col- 
leges (and  I  know  of  no  other  similar  fellowships  elsewhere) 
there  are  only  about  twenty-six  adequately  endowed  post- 
graduate fellowships  in  science.  As  these  should  be  continued 
for  at  least  three  years,  there  is  provision  altogether  for  only 
about  nine  per  year — not  one-fourth  the  number  required  to  sup- 
ply the  annual  loss  in  our  150  colleges,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
increasing  demand,  through  the  growth  and  improvements  in 
the  colleges  themselves.  As  it  is  from  such  specially  trained 
students  that  the  great  professors  of  the  future  must  be  drawn, 
the  need  of  much  greater  endowments  for  new  recruits  is  ap- 
parent. 

In  England  the  aids  afforded  by  fellowships  in  their  univer- 
sities are  familiar  to  all.  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  who  is  to  modern 
science  what  Shakespeare  is  in  literature,  was  sustained  from 
his  student  days  successively  in  a  scholarship,  a  fellowship,  and 
as  professor  at  Trinity  College  at  Cambridge.  Besides  those 
aids,  The  Royal  Commissioners  of  the  Exhibition  of  1851, 
instituted  last  year  (1891)  "  Exhibition  Science  Scholarships  " 
for  advanced  students,  to  which  $25,000  yearly  is  to  be  ap- 
plied in  sums  of  $750  each.  Last  year  sixteen  appointments 
were  made,  to  be  held  for  two  and  probably  for  three  years,  by 
students  who  show  capacity,  and  "  who  advance  science  by 
experimental  work."  * 

On  this  subject  a  most  interesting  discussion  took  place  last 
year  in  the  French  Academy  of  Science.  On  April  27,  1891, 
the  Secretary  read  the  following  extract  from  the  Will  of  the 
late  M.  Cahours,  a  deceased  member  of  the  Academy : 

"  I  have  frequently  had  the  opportunity  of  observing,  in  the 
course  of  my  scientific  career,  that  many  young  men,  distin- 
guished and  endowed  with  real  talent  for  science,  found  them- 
selves obliged  to  abandon  it,  because  before  beginning  they 
had  no  efficacious  help  which  provided  them  with  the  first  ne- 
cessities of  life,  and  allowed  them  to  devote  themselves  exclu- 
sively to  scientific  studies. 

"With  the  object  of  encouraging  such  young  workers,  who, 

*  Per  Sir  William  Thompson,  Proceedings,  Royal  Society,  1891,  Vol.  50,  p. 
.225. 


32 

for  want  of  sufficient  resources  find  themselves  powerless  to 
finish  works  in  course  of  execution,  *  *  *  I  bequeath  to 
the  Academy  of  Science  *  *  *  100,000  francs,  *  *  * 
the  interest  to  be  distributed  yearly  by  way  of  encouragement 
to  any  young  men  who  have  made  themselves  known  by  some 
interesting  works,  and  more  particularly  by  chemical  re- 
searches ;  *  *  *  as  far  as  possible  to  young  men  without 
fortune,  not  having  salaried  offices,  and  who,  from  want  of  a 
sufficient  situation,  would  find  themselves  without  the  possi- 
bility of  following  up  their  researches.  These  pecuniary  en- 
couragements ought  to  be  given  for  several  years  to  the  same 
young  men,  if  the  Commissioner  thinks  their  productions  have 
sufficient  value ;  *  *  *  to  cease  when  they  shall  have 
other  sufficiently  remunerative  positions." 

M.  Janssen,  then  addressing  the  Academy,  said : 

"  This  affords  an  example  to  all  who  hereafter  may  desire  to 
encourage  the  sciences  by  their  liberality.  M.  Cahours,  who 
knew  the  urgent  necessities  of  science,  had,  like  most  of  us, 
become  convinced  of  the  need  of  introducing  a  new  form  of 
scientific  recompenses. 

"  Our  prizes  will  always  continue  to  meet  a  great  and  noble 
necessity.  Their  value,  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  them',  and 
the  eclat  they  take  from  the  illustriousness  of  the  body  that 
grants  them,  will  always  make  them  the  highest  and  most  valu- 
able of  recompenses. 

"  Hut  the  value,  also,  of  the  works  it  is  necessary  to  produce 
in  order  to  lay  claim  to  them,  forbids  them  to  beginners.  It  is 
a  field  only  accessible  to  matured  talents. 

"  But  there  are  many  young  men  endowed  with  precious 
aptitudes,  inclined  to  pure  science,  but  turned  very  often  from 
this  envied  career  by  the  difficulties  of  existence,  and  taking 
with  regret  a  direction  towards  more  immediate  results.  And 
yet  many  among  them  possess  talents,  which,  if  well  cultivated, 
might  do  honor  and  good  to  science.  *  *  These  difficulties 
arc  increased  every  day  by  the  marked  advance  of  the  exigen- 
of  life. 

"We  must  find  a  prompt  remedy  for  this  state  of  things,  if 


33 

we  do  not  wish  to  see  an  end  of  the  recruitment  of  science. 
This  truth  is  beginning  to  be  generally  felt.  The  Government 
has  already  created  institutions,  scholarships  and  encourage- 
ments, which  partly  meet  the  necessity.  Some  generous 
donors  are  also  working  in  this  manner.  I  will  mention 
specially  the  noble  foundation  of  Mile.  Dosne,  in  accordance 
with  whose  instructions  a  hall-is  at  this  moment  being  built, 
where  young  men,  having  shown  distinguished  aptitudes  for 
high  administration,  for  the  bar,  or  for  history,  will  receive  for 
three  years  all  the  means  of  carrying  on  high  and  peaceful 
studies.  Let  us  say,  then,  plainly,  and  in  speaking  thus  we 
only  feebly  echo  the  words  of  the  most  illustrious  members  of 
the  Academy,  that  by  following  the  way  so  nobly  opened  by 
Cahours,  the  interest  and  prospocts  of  science  will  be  most 
effectually  saved. * 

Huxley  is  said  to  have  once  stated  that  "  any  country 
would  find  it  to  its  interest  to  spend  $100,000  in  first  finding 
a  Faraday,  and  then  putting  him  in  a  position  where  he  could 
do  the  greatest  amount  of  work." 

It  is  the  post-graduate  endownpients  Xhak  must  find  and  retain 
to  science  the  Faradays  of  the  future. 

A  notable  instance  of  the  need  and  value  of  such  aid  is 
found  in  the  recently  appointed  head  of  a  great  university,  who 
by  such  endowments  alone,  here  and  abroad,  it  is  said,  was  en- 
abled to  prosecute  his  studies  for  ten  years  successively,  reach- 
ing thereby  the  front  rank  in  his  chosen  Department  of 
Philosophy. 

III. 

Another  department  in  great  need  of  pecuniary  support  is 
that  of  the  learned  and  scientific  societies.  In  these  England 
is  preeminent.  Our  own  societies  have  endeavored  to  follow, 
so  far  as  they  could,  their  English  models.  The  English  so- 
cieties have  rendered  to  science  invaluable  service  in  three  main 
lines : 

i.  In  providing  ample  means  for  the  publication  of  scientific 
papers,  showing  the  progress  and  the  results  of  their  scientific 
work.     In  this  every  society  has  taken  part. 

*Nature,  May  7,  1891. 


34 

2.  In  the  direct  maintenance  of  original  research,  in  which 
the  Royal  Institution  has  been  most  conspicuous. 

3.  In  the  award  of  prizes  for  scientific  distinction  ;  but  still 
more  important,  in  the  distribution  of  pecuniary  aid,  for  the 
prosecution  of  special  scientific  researches. 

(1).  Of  these,  I  regard  publication  as,  perhaps,  the  most  im- 
portant; not  only  because  it  puts  the  world  in  possession  of 
what  has  been  done  by  investigators;  but  because  the  very  fact 
that  there  are  means  of  publication,  is  one  of  the  greatest  in- 
citements to  complete  and  thorough  original  scientific  work. 

Of  the  English  societies,  the  Royal  Society  is  the  oldest,  hav- 
ing been  chartered  in  1662.  It  has  published  181  volumes  of 
Transactions  and  about  50  volumes  of  Proceedings.  For 
these  purposes  in  1881  the  expenditure  was  between  $  11,000 
and  $12,000.  It  has  property  to  the  value  of  about  thirds  of 
a  million  of  dollars,  more  than  half  of  which  is  in  trust  funds, 
held  for  scientific  uses.  The  income  on  the  trust  funds  in  1891 
was  about  $17,500.*  In  1828  Dr.  Wallaston  in  giving  it 
$10,000  in  3  per  cent  consols  "  to  promote  scientific  researches," 
charged  upon  the  Society  "not  to  hoard  the  income  parsimoni- 
ously, but  to  expend  it  liberally  for  the  objects  named." 

The  Royal  Institution  of  Great  Britain,  was  founded  in  1779, 
largely  through  our  countryman,  James  Thompson,  of  Rum- 
ford,  Vt,  afterwards  Count  Rumford.  In  1888  it  had  property 
and  invested  funds  for  general  purposes  to  the  amount  of 
$350,000,  and  about  $40,000  of  invested  funds  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  its  three  professors.  In  1887  it  expended  about  two 
thousand  dollars  in  publications,  and  it  has  issued  about 
forty  volumes,  f 

The  Linncean  Society,  now  furnished  by  the  Government  with 
permanent  accomodations  in  Burlington  House,  free  of  rent, 
was  founded  by  Sir  James  E.  Smith  in  1788,  and  is  devoted  to 
botany  and  zoology.  Its  property  amounts  to  about  $32,000, but 
it  has  no  endowed  funds  for  scientific  investigation.  For  some 
some  years  past  its  receipts,  mainly  from  contributions,  have 
been  about  $10,000  a  year,  of  which  one-half,  about  $5,000,  is 

♦Proceedings,  1891,  Vol.  50,  p.  235. 
t  Report  1888,  p.  13. 


35 

spent  on  its  publications,  which  now  number  nearly  fifty  vol- 
umes of  transactions  in  quarto,  and  as  many  more  of  its  Jour- 
nal.    In  1888  $7,000  dollars  were  expended  in  publication.  * 

Next  in  order  of  time  is  the  British  Association  for  the  Ad- 
vancement of  Science,  founded  in  1831.  It  is  sustained  chiefly 
by  yearly  contributions.  Its  invested  funds  amount  to  about 
$62,000.  Its  income  and  contributions  are  about  $10,000  an- 
nually, out  of  which  it  appropriates  from  $6,000  to  $7,000  per 
annum  for  the  encouragement  of  scientific  investigations,  and 
about  $1,800  annually  for  its  yearly  volume  of  Proceedings. 
Its  publications  now  number  twenty-five  volumes,  f 

The  Ray  Society  was  founded  in  1844.  It  was  named  after 
the  Rev.  John  Ray,  who  lived  from  1628  until  1705.  Haller, 
himself  one  of  the  greatest  scientists  of  his  time,  writing  in 
1 77 1,  in  the  full  light  of  Linnaeus'  fame,  calls  Ray  "  the  greatest 
botanist  within  the  memory  of  man."  %  The  society  has  pub- 
lished about  fifty  volumes  of  scientific  works  of  the  highest  im- 
portance. I  have  not  seen  any  statistics  concerning  its  means 
or  acquisitions  ;  nor  have  I  found  any  financial  report  of  the 
scientific  societies  of  Edinburgh  or  Dublin. 

(2.)  Of  these  societies,  only  the  Royal  Institution  directly 
supports  professors  for  scientific  research.  It  has  two  labora- 
tories, one  chemical  and  one  physical.  These  were  rebuilt  in 
1872,  "  in  order  that  original  discovery  might  be  more  effect- 
ively carried  on."  The  society  was  founded  for  the  declared 
purpose  of  "  promoting  scientific  and  literary  research."  It 
has  three  professors — one  in  chemistry,  one  in  physics  and 
one  in  physiology.  Davy,  Faraday,  Tyndall,  and  others  who 
have  spent  their  lives  there,  have  made  its  annals  immortal. 

(3.)  In  stimulating  research  by  the  appropriation  of  moneys 
for  specific  objects,  the  Royal  Society  and  the  British  Associa- 
tion are  the  chief  agencies.  Besides  some  of  its  own  funds, 
the  Royal  Society  distributes  annually  four  thousand  pounds, 
or  $20,000,  granted  by  the  Government  "  for  the  advancement 
of  science."     This  has  been  done  by  applying  it  to  numerous 

*  Proceedings  1890,  pp.  15,  45   [May  4,  1888.] 
f  Proceedings  1 89 1,  pp.  LXXXVII  to  C.     76. 

:f  Bibliotheca  Botanica. 


36 

purposes  ;  in  1891,  for  fifty-seven  different  scientific  objects,  in 
sums  ranging  from  $25  to  $3,000  each  ;  not  confined  to  natural 
science  alone,  but  including  ethnology  and  magnetic  surveys. 
Most  of  the  grants  were  in  sums  of  about  $350  or  less.* 

The  British  Association  has  disbursed  annually,  for  the  last 
forty  years,  from  $6,000  to  $7,000  per  annum,  upon  the  same 
system  of  dividing  it  up  for  numerous  specific  purposes ;  usually 
from  thirty  to  forty  objects  yearly,  the  grants  being  in  sums 
ranging  from  $25  to  $1 ,000.  The  grants  are  called  for  and  ex- 
pended for  the  specific  purpose  named,  and  under  the  direction 
of  some  prominent  scientific  man.  Scientists  like  Sir  William 
Thompson,  and  others  of  like  renown,  have  had  the  administra- 
tion of  many  of  these  grants.  These  have,  included  for  the 
last  six  years,  save  in  1890,  the  appropriation  of  $500  per  year 
for  a  table  in  the  Naples  Marine  Laboratory.! 

We  have  no  single  society  In  this  country,  save  the  Smith- 
sonian, that  can  rival  in  importance  those  that  I  have  named  in 
England.  And  the  Smithsonian  is  not  a  society,  but  an  insti- 
tution, established  by  one  man,  and  he  an  Englishman.  This 
institution,  based  upon  the  bequest  of  James  Smithson,  was 
founded  by  Act  of  Congress  of  August  10,  1846.  I  doubt 
whether  in  any  country  or  in  any  age,  the  bequest  of  half  a 
million  of  dollars  has  ever  been  followed  by  such  beneficent 
results,  or  has  ever  so  profoundly  affected  the  life  of  science  in 
any  country  as  the  Smithsonian  Institution  has  done  in  America 
during  the  last  forty-four  years  of  its  existence.  This  has  been 
owing  (1)  to  the  wisdom  and  the  profound  scientific  insight  of 
Prof.  Henry,  its  first  secretary  and  director ;  and  (2)  to  the 
corps  of  able  assistants  and  successors  whom  his  spirit  and 
policy  have  inspired.  Its  publications  number  twenty-six 
quarto  volumes  of  Contributions  to  Knowledge  ;  forty  volumes 
of  Miscellaneous  Collections  ;  and  forty-four  vojumes  of  Annual 
Reports.  Its  Contributions  to  Knowledge  rival,  if  they  do  not 
excel,  in  rarity  and  importance,  the  publications  of  any  other 
society  during  the  same  period.  Its  expenditure  in  publica- 
tions is  about  $12,500  a  year.     Under  Prof.  Henry  a  good  deal 

•Proceedings,  1891,  Vol.  50,  p.  242. 
fProceedings,  1890,  p.  90. 


37 

was  done  in  research.  Under  Prof.  Langley,  the  present  direc- 
tor, astro-physical  research  is  carried  on.  Besides  the  direct 
scientific  work  of  the  institution,  however,  its  influence  has  been 
very  great,  especially  in  its  relations  with  the  other  depart- 
ments at  Washington,  and  as  a  medium  for  the  prosecution  of 
other  scientific  enterprises,  under  authority  of  Congress.  Many 
of  the  appropriations  of  Congress  for  scientific  expeditions  for 
researches  in  ethnology,  paleontology,  chemistry  and  physics, 
have  been  due  to  the  presence  and  cooperation  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution.  For  ethnologic  researches  alone,  during 
the  last  twelve  years,  under  the  administration  of  the  Smith- 
sonian, Congress  has  appropriated  $400,000;  to  paleontologic 
researches  within  the  last  three  years,  $160,000;  to  chemical 
and  physical  research,  $68,000;  and  to  astro-physical  research, 
$10,000.  Besides  these,  there  have  been  for  many  years  appro- 
priations for  maintaining  the  important  investigations  of  the 
Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  and  of  the  Weather  Bureau  in 
Meteorology ;  and  for  the  great  scientific  work  of  the  Naval 
Observatory,  and  of  the  various  scientific  divisions  of  the 
Agricultural  Department  and  of  the  Geological  Survey.  Our 
Government  has  been  by  no  means  inactive  in  science. 

The  principal  American  scientific  associations,  omitting 
those  of  comparatively  recent  origin,  are  the  American  Phil- 
osophical Society  of  Philadelphia,  originally  founded  in  1744; 
The  American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences  at  Boston;  The 
Boston  Society  of  Natural  History ;  The  Academy  of  Natural 
Sciences,  and  The  Franklin  Institute,  at  Philadelphia ;  the  latter 
founded  in  1824  (see  Journal,  vol.  1,  pp.  71,  129);  The  New 
York  Academy  of  Sciences  (a  continuation  of  the  Lyceum  of 
Natural  History) ;  The  National  Academy  of  Science  at  Wash- 
ington, founded  in  1863;  and  The  American  Association  for 
the  Advancement  of  Science.  Of  these,  The  Philosophical 
Society  has  published  29  volumes  of  its  Transactions ;  The 
American  Academy,  26  volumes  of  Transactions  and  9  quarto 
volumes  of  Memoirs;  The  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History, 
25  volumes,  at  a  cost  of  about  $600  per  year;  The  Academy 
of  Natural  Science  of  Philadelphia,  48  volumes  of  Proceed- 
ings and  12  quarto  volumes  of  its  Journal,  at  an  average  cost 


3« 

of  about  $1,000  per  year;  The  Franklin  Institute,  133  vol- 
umes of  its  Journal ;  The  New  York  Academy  and  its  prede- 
cessor, about  30  volumes  of  Transactions  and  Annals ;  The 
National  Academy,  3  quarto  volumes  of  Memoirs  and  some 
volumes  of  Proceedings;  and  The  American  Association  for 
the  Advancement  of  Science  about  40  volumes  of  Proceedings. 

The  latter  society  had  in  1891  a  "  Research  Fund"  of  $5,254. 
(Proceedings  1891,  p.  441).  None  of  the  other  societies,  so 
far  as  I  can  find,  has  any  fund  specially  devoted  to  research, 
or  makes  any  specific  appropriations  therefor.  The  National 
Academy  and  The  Academy  of  Philadelphia  have  each  some 
funds  for  their  support,  and  the  latter  also  the  Jessup  Fund  for 
students  in  Science  on  which  the  income  is  about  $5 50  yearly. 
The  Philosophical  Society  from  time  to  time  awards  the  prize 
established  by  John  Hyacinth  de  Magellan  in  1786,  an  oval 
gold  plate,  "  for  the  most  useful  discovery  or  invention  in  navi- 
gation or  science."  One  of  the  earliest  awards  of  this  prize 
was  for  painting  lightning  rods  with  black  lead. 

The  American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences  awards  a  gold 
and  silver  medal  from  a  bequest  of  $5 ,000,  made  to  it  by  Count 
Rumford,  who  in  1796  made  a  similar  bequest  to  the  Royal 
Society.  In  1888  this  prize  was  most  worthily  awarded  to 
Prof.  Michelson,  for  his  researches  in  light.* 

The  Boston  Society  of  Natural  History  has  a  general  fund, 
of  which  the  income  is  about  $6,000.  It  has  also  a  small 
Walker  Prize  Fund  and  a  Grand  Prize  Fund,  from  which  in 
1884  it  awarded  a  grand  prize  of  $1,000  to  James  Hall,  of 
Albany,  "  for  his  distinguished  services  to  science."  It  also 
administers  the  expenditure  of  about  $2,700  a  year  for  instruc- 
tion in  laboratory  work,  drawn  from  the  Boston  University, 
and  $1,500  from  the  Lowell  Fund  for  the  instruction  of 
teachers.! 

From  this  comparison  of  the  voluntary  associations,  it  appears 
that  the  property,  endowed  funds,  and  equipment  of  the  English 
societies  named,  are  nearly  ten-fold  greater  than  the  American, 
and  their  publications,  double;    while  for    direct   original  re- 

eringf    Address,  Proc,  Vol.  24,  p,  380. 
I  Proceedings,  Vol.  24,  p,  14. 


39 

search,  our  societies  maintain  no  laboratories  and  no  professors, 
as  is  done  by  the  Royal  Institution.  The  English  societies 
distribute  yearly  from  $25,000  to  $30,000  for  from  sixty  to 
seventy-five  different  scientific  purposes;  while  ours  make 
no  such  appropriations,  simply  because  they  have  no  funds. 
To  supply  this  deficiency  there  is  need  of  large  endowments. 

The  publications  of  our  societies  are  valuable ;  the  papers 
have  often  been  of  a  high  character,  rivaling  those  published 
abroad.  But  the  funds  available  for  publication  are  insufficient ; 
it  is  always  a  question  of  means.  There  is  a  press  and  surplus 
of  valuable  scientific  matter,  which  either  is  not  printed  at  all, 
or  only  gets  printed  by  special  subscriptions  for  the  purpose. 
This  ought  not  to  be.  After  valuable  original  matter  has  been 
produced  with  great  pains  and  without  hope  of  pecuniary  re- 
ward, nothing  is  more  discouraging  to  future  research  than 
that  even  publication  can  only  be  had  as  a  charity.  This  I 
know,  from  repeated  personal  applications,  is  the  condition  of 
things  in  New  York  at  this  moment.  It  is  not  creditable  that 
in  a  State  and  country  like  ours  there  should  be  practically 
nowhere  any  adequate  provision  for  even  the  publication  of 
the  researches  of  those  who  work  for  nothing  but  their  love 
of  science  and  its  progress.  There  is  very  great  need  of  a  con- 
siderable publication  fund,  in  the  hands  of  some  scientific  body, 
through  which  every  valuable  contribution  to  science,  not 
otherwise  provided  for,  might  be  ensured  a  speedy  publication, 
after  it  has  been  found  worthy,  as  in  the  practice  of  the  Lin- 
naean  Society,  first  by  a  critical  expert  in  the  particular  depart- 
ment, and  then  by  the  Council  of  Publication.* 

The  stimulus,  moreover,  to  scientific  research  that  would  be 
imparted  by  the  distribution  of  comparatively  small  sums,  such 
as  are  given  by  the  Royal  Society  and  by  the  British  Associa- 
tion, would  also  be  very  great;  nor  is  there  any  reason  why 
the  founding  of  professorships  for  the  express  purpose  of 
prosecuting  original  research  in  our  scientific  societies,  after  the 
model  of  the  Royal  Institution,  should  not  in  time  be  followed 
by  results  equally  brilliant,  and  equally  beneficial  to  mankind. 

I  have  endeavored  to   point   out  three   main   directions  in 

*Pres.  Carruthers,  Proceedings,  May,  1890,  p.  39. 


40 

which  there  is  urgent  need  in  this  country  of  pecuniary  en- 
downments. 

(i).  In  the  relief  of  professors  during  the  transition  of  the 
colleges  from  the  schoolmaster  system  to  the  university 
system,  whereby  all  professors  in  science  shall  become  actively 
enlisted  in  the  prosecution  of  original  discovery  as  a  part  of 
their  duties. 

(2).  In  providing  for  the  future  recruits  in  science,  by  more 
endowments  for  post-graduate  study. 

(3).  By  endowments  of  our  scientific  associations,  both 
directly  to  promote  original  research,  and  especially  also  to 
supply  larger  means  of  publication. 

It  is  gratifying  to  perceive  what  beginnings  have  been 
recently  made  in  response  to  the  needs  of  science.  Only  a 
short  time  since,  in  1885,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Thompson  of  Stam- 
ford, Conn.,  gave  $25,000  to  a  Board  of  Trustees  of  which  Dr. 
Bowditch,  of  Boston,  is  president,  for  the  "  advancement  of 
scientific  research  in  its  broadest  sense."  The  income  is  an- 
nually distributed  in  sums  of  from  two  to  five  hundred  dollars. 

Mr.  Hodgkins,  of  Setauket,  Long  Island,  has  recently  be- 
queathed to  the  Smithsonian  Institution  $200,000,  the  income 
of  one-half  of  which  is  to  be  devoted  to  research  into  the 
properties  of  atmospheric  air. 

Columbia  College  has,  during  the  past  year,  received  from 
Mr.  De  Costa's  estate,  before  referred  to,  $100,000  for  biology  ; 
Harvard,  the  Joseph  Lovering  Fund,  above  stated;  $10,000 
from  Henry  Draper  for  the  photography  of  stellar  spectra  ;  the 
endowments  in  archaeology,  above  named ;  and  some  smaller 
gifts  for  various  scientific  purposes.  The  University  of  Chi- 
cago and  some  other  institutions  have  also  received  important 
gifts,  not  to  mention  those  yet  to  be  realized  to  other  colleges 
from  the  estate  of  Mr.  Fairweather. 

By  the  recent  bequest  of  Chas.  Lennig,  the  Academy  of 
Sciences,  of  Philadelphia,  will,  in  time,  receive  $20,000;  while 
half  a  million  of  dollars  will  go  to  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania in  aid  of  instruction  in  theoretical  and  practical  mechanics, 
and  $200,000  to  maintain  scholarships.  At  this  University, 
also,  a  superb  structure  for  the  "  Wistar  Institute  of  Anatomy" 


4i 

is  now  building  by  Gen.  Isaac  J.  Wistar,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$200,000,  including  endowments  designed  for  original  research.* 

Our  reliance  in  this  country  must  be  mainly  upon  private 
endowments  and  an  intelligent  appreciation  of  the  needs  of 
science.  The  National  Government  has  done,  and  is  doing, 
much  in  certain  directions.  But  aside  from  the  dispositions  of 
legislators,  it  is  restricted  by  the  provisions  of  the  Federal 
Constitution,  and  by  debated  questions  of  constitutional  right. 
State  aid  is  not  thus  hampered ;  but  State  aid  is  difficult  to 
obtain,  to  any  adequate  degree,  on  account  of  the  previous 
habits,  prejudices  and  political  training  of  the  people.  No 
doubt  this  ought  not  so  to  be.  The  State  of  New  York  ought, 
abstractly  considered,  to  maintain  one  university  of  the  first  class 
equal  in  every  department  to  any  in  the  world.  But  the  multi- 
plication of  institutions  already  existing,  local  jealousies,  and 
aversion  to  State  taxation,  make  this  now  probably  impracti- 
cable. 

The  remedy  is  with  the  people,  and  through  their  own  vol- 
untary methods.  It  is  the  people  who  have  made  our  Govern- 
ment, its  institutions,  its  methods,  and  the  great  aggregate, 
whatsoever  it  is,  such  as  we  see  it  to-day.  Wealth  is  rapidly 
accumulating;  much  of  it  in  the  hands  of  those  who,  springing 
from  the  people,  bear  the  love  of  the  community  in  their 
hearts;  and  when  they  and  the  people  at  large  shall  come  to 
see  that  the  cause  of  scientific  advance  and  the  discovery  of  all 
new  truth  are  in  the  deepest  sense  their  cause,  responses  will, 
I  believe,  come  to  every  urgent  need;  until  the  work  of  the 
people,  by  its  own  methods,  shall,  even  in  science,  be  able  to 
confront,  without  shame,  the  best  work  of  the  monarchies  of 
the  Old  World. 

*  Since  the  above  was  written  an  additional  million  of  dollars  has  been  given 
by  Mr.  John  D.  Rockefeller  to  the  University  of  Chicago,  making  $3,600,000 
given  by  him  alone  to  that  institution  within  less  than  three  years,  a  munificence 
hitherto  unexampled  in  private  endowments,  some  portions  of  which,  it  is  hoped, 
will  be  available  for  the  maintenance  of  original  scientific  research. 


42 


ADDRESS  OF  PROF.  H.  CARRINGTON  BOLTON, 

ON 

A   PLEA   FOR   A    LIBRARY    OF   SCIENCE  IN   NEW 
YORK  CITY. 


In  science,  as  in  other  departments  of  modern  thought  and 
research,  progress  moves  along  two  distinct  lines  apparently 
antagonistic,  but,  as  may  be  easily  shown,  they  are  mutually 
helpful ;  these  are  a  tendency  to  specialization  and  a  growth  in 
generalization.  As  each  department  of  physical  and  natural 
science  develops  with  prodigious  rapidity,  and  becomes  too 
comprehensive  for  the  grasp  of  an  individual  mind,  it  becomes 
subdivided  into  branches  dealing  with  a  limited  range  of  subjects, 
and,  as  these  subdivisions  continue  to  grow,  further  specializa- 
tion necessarily  ensues.  This  is  a  familiar  truth,  requiring  no 
illustration  beyond  reference  to  the  existence  of  seven  inde- 
pendent societies  in  this  Alliance,  the  younger  members  of  which 
are  limited  to  single  branches  of  research.  Parallel  with  this 
development  of  specialization,  there  is  marked  progress  in  the 
direction  of  coordination  and  inter-dependence.  Even  in  the 
departments  of  investigation  seemingly  far  removed  from  each 
other,  how  frequently  discoveries  and  inventions  unexpectedly 
open  up  common  features.  A  chemist  aided  by  a  physicist,, 
examining  in  a  darkened  room  the  flame-colors  of  terrestrial 
substances,  suddenly  hand  over  to  the  astronomer  an  instru- 
ment of  precision  surpassing  the  combined  powers  of  the  tele- 
scope and  the  microscope  in  revealing  the  secrets  of  celestial 
bodies.  A  solar-physicist,  directing  his  sensitive  bolometer  to 
the  radiant  energy  proceeding  from  a  tiny  insect,  presents  to 
the  biologist  new  and  remarkable  facts  otherwise  unattainable. 
What  two  sciences  seemed  less  likely  to  be  linked  for  a  man's 
benefit  than  acoustics  and  electricity?  To  what  realm  of 
nature  is  the  microscope  limited?  To  further  multiply  illustra- 
tions is  needless;  a  moment's  reflection  shows  theoretical  points 
of  contact  between  every  one  of  the  exact  sciences  which  are 


43 

realized  in  practical  applications  resulting  from  their  coordina- 
tion. 

This  linking  of  specialization  and  generalization  finds  its 
highest  exemplification  in  a  library,  particularly  in  one  conse- 
crated to  pure  and  applied  science.  One  of  the  objects  sought 
by  the  promotors  of  this  Alliance  of  the  principal  scientific 
societies  of  New  York  City  is  the  assembling  under  one  roof 
of  their  scattered  collections  of  books.  This  does  not  mean 
amalgamation  in  any  degree,  nor  even  confederation  ;  this  is 
practically  impossible,  for  several  of  the  societies  are  incorpo- 
rated and  cannot  surrender  rights  in  their  property.  The  plan, 
as  I  understand  it,  leaves  to  each  society  complete  control  of 
its  own  library,  and  merely  provides  for  cooperation,  each  sup- 
plementing that  which  is  lacking  in  the  others.  Before  con- 
sidering the  advantages  which  would  certainly  follow  such  af- 
filiation, let  us  briefly  note  the  statistics  of  each  society,  con- 
sidering them  in  order  of  their  foundation. 

(i).  The  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences,  founded  in  1817,  has 
a  library  of  nearly  ten  thousand  volumes  and  bound  pamph- 
lets, temporarily  deposited  in  the  library-building  of  Columbia 
College,  by  courtesy  of  the  Trustees.  It  is  not  amalgamated 
with  the  great  library  of  the  College,  having  separate  rooms 
and  an  independent  Catalogue.  The  Collection  is  almost  ex- 
clusively scientific,  and  is  valuable  for  its  sets  of  Transactions 
of  learned  societies  throughout  the  world,  obtained  by  ex- 
change for  the  publications  of  the  Academy.  Many  of  these 
early  serials  are  not  found  elsewhere  in  the  city,  and  some 
nowhere  in  the  United  States. 

The  library  is,  of  course,  free  to  members  under  the  by- 
laws, and  to  readers  in  the  College  library  by  special  arrange- 
ment. The  library  is  in  very  good  condition,  which,  however, 
would  be  improved  by  expending  a  few  hundred  dollars  in 
binding.  The  Academy  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  lose  its  col- 
lections in  natural  history  by  fire  in  1866,  but  the  library  was 
stored  elsewhere,  and  has  now  reached  the  respectable  age  of 
75  years,  being  the  fifth  in  order  of  foundation  in  New  York  City. 

(2).  The  Torrey  Botanical  Chtby  founded  in  1 871,  has  no  inde- 
pendent   library,    its    collection    being  incorporated    with  the 


44 

library  of  Columbia  College.  The  University  Bulletin  for  July, 
1892,  records  the  securing  of  a  fund  of  $1,000  for  the  purchase 
of  books  for  the  Botanical  Library,  a  fund  contributed  by  ten 
persons.  While  this  is  creditable  it  shows  how  pressing  the 
need  is  for  botanical  literature,  and  the  Club  might  perhaps  be 
persuaded  to  administer  a  much  larger  sum. 

(3).  The  New  York  Microscopical  Society,  founded  in  1877,  is 
incorporated  under  the  State  laws.  It  has  a  library  of  about 
1,500  volumes,  but  it  is  at  present  difficult  of  access  to  mem- 
bers owing  to  cramped  and  inconvenient  quarters;  hence  it  is 
but  little  used. 

(4).  The  Linncean  Society  of  New  York,  organized  in  1878, 
not  incorporated,  has  the  nucleus  of  a  library  deposited  in  the 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  Central  Purk. 

The  collection  consists  chiefly  of  serials  obtained  by  ex- 
change, and  of  government  publications. 

(5).  The  New  Yo?rk  Mineralogical  Club,  organized  in  1877, 
not  incorporated,  has  no  library.  It  owns,  however,  the  B.  B. 
Chamberlain  Collection  of  N.  Y.  Island  Minerals,  and  other  lo- 
cal specimens  deposited  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History. 

(6).  The  New  York  Mathematical  Society,  organized  in  1888, 
not  incorporated,  owns  a  collection  of  about  300  volumes,  now 
temporarily  deposited  in  the  Mathematical  Department  of 
Columbia  College. 

(7).  The  New  York  Section  of  the  American  Chemical  Society  is 
the  youngest  child  in  this  family,  having  been  organized  in  the 
spring  of  1892.  The  parent  society,  however,  was  founded  in 
1878,  and  has  accumulated  a  library  of  1,900  volumes  and  500 
pamphlets,  now  deposited  in  the  building  of  the  University  of 
the  City  of  New  York.  It  is,  of  course,  open  to  members  and 
those  using  the  University  library. 

These  collections,  brought  together  under  one  roof,  would 
form  the  nucleus  of  a  valuable  scientific  library.  The  weakness 
of  some  is  due  to  youth;  all,  however,  reflect  the  struggle  for 
existence  that  pure  science  has  sustained  in  this  commercial 
city.  The  advantages  that  would  flow  from  affiliation  are  so 
obvious  as  to  make  rehearsal  almost  superfluous.     First,  how- 


45 

ever,  is  the  advantage  of  economy  in  administration,  and,  by 
avoiding  duplication,  securing  greater  results  with  less  expend- 
iture. Secondly,  uniformity  in  disposition  of  the  books,  and 
improvements  in  cataloguing.  And  be  it  noted,  that  the  utility 
of  a  library  is  in  proportion  to  the  perfection  of  its  catalogue  ; 
other  things  being  equal,  a  small  collection  being  furnished 
with  full  author  and  subject-catalogues  is  decidedly  more  valu- 
able than  a  library  of  far  greater  magnitude  which  is  incom- 
pletely catalogued.  Such  an  assemblage  of  books,  with  the 
growth  that  would  be  stimulated  by  the  new  regime,  would 
form  the  foundation  of  a  great  BIBLIOTHECA  SCIENTI^E, 
such  as  nowhere  exists  in  our  New  World.  Due  appreciation 
of  the  creditable  standing  of  several  libraries  in  New  York  and 
vicinity  is  consistent  with  the  statement  that  a  scientific  library 
is  a  great  want.  For  general  reference  the  Astor  will  long  re- 
main preeminent;  Columbia  College  Library  is  growing 
rapidly,  and  its  liberal  regulations  and  fine  appointments  are  a 
delight  to  scholars;  the  Lenox  has  a  noble  collection  of  treas- 
ures limited  to  a  narrow  field;  the  physicians,  lawyers  and 
engineers  are  forming  for  themselves  specialized  collections 
of  great  value;  the  Free  Circulating  Library  and  many  sub- 
scription libraries  cater  to  the  popular  taste ;  but  where  shall 
investigators  in  the  exact  sciences  go  with  an  assurance  of 
finding  all  desirable  treatises,  serials  and  special  monographs? 

Another  advantage  of  affiliation  must  be  briefly  noted. 
One  of  the  best  ways  of  building  up  a  library  symmetrically  is 
to  place  the  selection  of  books  in  the  hands  of  workers  in  the 
several  branches  of  knowledge;  this  is  recognized  in  some  col- 
leges, where  each  member  of  the  Faculty  compiles  lists  of 
works  needed  in  his  special  field.  In  the  associated  libraries, 
each  Society  would  naturally  foster  its  immediate  interests,  and 
lacunae  could  be  filled  by  the  care  of  the  librarian-in-chief. 

It  is,  perhaps,  premature  to  consider  the  question  of  organi- 
zation of  the  Library  of  the  Scientific  Alliance,  but  I  would 
suggest  that  at  first  the  librarians  of  the  several  societies  might 
form  a  board,  and  by  frequent  consultations  secure  uniformity 
in  methods.  Later  in  the  development  of  the  library  a  libra- 
rian-in-chief might  be  appointed  to  have  general  oversight  of 


46 

the  whole,  especially  to  see  that  gaps  in  the  literature  of  science, 
not  filled  by  the  societies  themselves,  be  closed  by  purchase. 
For,  of  course,  the  Library  of  the  Scientific  Alliance  must  have 
an  endowment,  and  one  worthy  of  this  great  metropolis. 

The  benefits  that  a  Library  of  Pure  and  Applied  Science 
would  confer  on  the  City  are  manifold.  It  would  become  the 
headquarters  of  those  engaged  in  pure  research,  as  well  as  of 
inventors  and  others  seeking  data  as  to  the  applications  of 
science.  To  patent-lawyers  such  a  library  would  be  invalu- 
able. If  the  Alliance  be  successful  in  securing  a  convenient 
site  and  a  building  of  sufficient  magnitude,  I  suggest  further 
that  rooms  of  moderate  dimensions  be  provided  for  rental  to 
private  collectors  of  books  for  their  personal  treasures.  Many 
persons  of  moderate  means  find  the  question  of  shelf-room  a 
more  troublesome  one  than  the  acquisition  of  books,  and  buy 
more  sparingly  for  this  very  reason;  they  would  be  glad,  how- 
ever, to  place  their  collections  in  a  fire-proof  building,  contigu- 
ous to  kindred  or  supplemental  collections,  and,  maintaining 
their  control  of  their  private  libraries,  would  willingly  grant  to 
scholars  access  to  the  same  for  consultion  and  serious  research. 
Such  temporary  deposits  might  eventually  become  the  property 
of  the  Alliance,  either  by  gift  or  testamentary  bequest. 

The  Alliance  is  moreover  likely  to  add  to  its  membership 
other  societies  pursuing  special  branches  of  science,  and  this 
growth  must  be  anticipated  in  planning  for  the  future. 

The  associated  libraries  of  the  Scientific  Alliance,  gathered 
in  a  suitable  building  furnished  with  committee  rooms,  lecture- 
hall,  etc.,  would  form  for  those  engaged  in  scientific  research  a 
sort  of  Exchange.  Commercial  and  financial  enterprises  have 
established  produce  exchanges,  metal  exchanges,  stock  ex- 
changes and  the  like,  and  why  should  not  Science  have  its  own 
exchange?  Though  the  commercial  aspect  is  far  removed 
from  the  thoughts  of  those  advocating  this  Alliance,  I  see  no 
reason  why  the  building  sheltering  the  libraries  should  not  be 
headquarters  for  those  seeking  advice  from  scientific  men  on 
industrial  problems. 

Comparisons  are  said  to  be  odious;  therefore  I  refrain  from 
pointing  out  how  much  behindhand  New  York  City  is  com- 


47 

pared    with  Boston,   Philadelphia  and   San  Francisco    in    the 
matter  of  accommodations  for  scientists. 

To  ascertain  the  status  of  science  in  the  existing  libraries  of 
New  York  and  vicinity,  I  sent  to  68  of  the  principal  libraries 
and  institutions  of  learning  circulars  making  inquiry  as  to  the 
number  of  volumes  in  each,  the  proportion  of  scientific  works, 
and  the  number  of  scientific  readers  using  the  library.  With 
few  exceptions  replies  were  received  with  gratifying  promptness 
and  accuracy.  Eight  libraries  have  not  been  heard  from.  The 
statistics  obtained  are  embodied  in  the  Appendix  to  this  paper, 
and  we  give  here  but  a  brief  summary. 

The  sixty  libraries  reporting  have  an  aggregate  of  1,916,000 
volumes.  There  are  fifteen  libraries  of  over  40,000  volumes 
each.  The  proportion  of  scientific  books  varies  from  5  per 
cent,  to  100  per  cent.,  according  to  the  scope  and  aim  of  the  in- 
stitution. In  the  larger  libraries  of  reference  the  proportion 
runs  from  one-quarter  to  one-twentieth.  As  the  term  science 
is  differently  interpreted  by  librarians,  some  restricting  it  to 
pure  science,  and  others  embracing  the  applications,  biography 
of  scientific  m'en,  and  the  useful  arts,  no  attempt  has  been 
made  to  estimate  the  total  number  of  volumes  that  are  prop- 
erly classed  as  scientific.  As  but  few  libraries  report  the  num- 
ber of  scientific  readers,  this  item  remains  practically  unde- 
termined. 

In  one  class  of  institutions  a  great  weakness  was  developed 
by  this  inquiry ;  with  a  single  exception  medical  colleges  re- 
port "no  library;"  surely  in  no  other  course  of  study  is  a 
knowledge  of  literature  of  the  subject  deemed  superfluous. 
The  exception  referred  to  is  the  Woman's  Medical  College  of 
the  New  York  Infirmary,  which  has  a  collection  of  5  56  volumes, 
forming  a  small  reference  library  for  the  students.  This  was 
founded  in  1887  by  the  liberality  of  Sarah  M.  Hitchcock,  and 
is  growing  annually  by  subscriptions  and  donations. 

In  conclusion,  allow  me  to  relate  a  legend  : — Long  ago,  be- 
fore the  age  of  printing,  an  Oriental  monarch  succeeded  to 
to  the  throne,  whose  first  care,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  was  the 
welfare  of  his  subjects.  Feeling  the  responsibility  of  his  scep- 
tre, and  desirous  of  gaining  knowledge  that  would  enable  him 


48 

to  rule  justly,  he  planned  to  make  a  collection  of  the  works  of 
most  eminent  authors,  that  by  their  perusal  he  might  learn  to 
govern  his  people  with  true  wisdom.  With  this  end  in  view 
he  commanded  that  rolls  and  parchments  from  all  provinces 
of  his  realm  be  sent  to  the  royal  capital,  in  which  he  caused  to 
be  constructed  a  noble  treasure-house  for  their  reception  and 
preservation. 

After  some  years  of  labor,  those  in  charge  of  this  undertak- 
ing announced  the  completion  of  the  Bibliotheca  and  invited 
their  royal  master  to  inspect  it.  As  he  walked  through  the 
splendid  building  and  gazed  upon  the  multitude  of  books 
crowding  the  alcoves,  he  perceived  with  regret  the  physical 
impossibility  of  examining  in  person  these  treasures  of  learn- 
ing to  acquire  that  knowledge  for  which  he  longed.  Im- 
pressed with  his  weakness  he  appointed  a  Commission  of  four 
and  twenty  wise-men,  whose  duty  it  should  be  to  read  and  di- 
gest this  collection  of  books,  and  to  condense  all  the  good  and 
useful  of  their  contents  into  a  few  volumes. 

Ten  long  years  elapsed,  when  the  Commission  of  wise-men 
submitted  the  results  of  their  arduous  labors  in  the  shape  of  a 
camel-load  of  manuscripts.  Meanwhile  the  good  prince  had 
begun  to  feel  the  advance  of  time  in  his  failing  strength  and 
weakened  eyesight,  so  that  the  perusal  of  a  camel-load  of 
books  now  seemed  to  him  more  onerous  than  the  task  from 
which  he  had  shrunk  ten  years  before.  Accordingly  he 
thanked  the  Commissioners  for  their  labors,  and  dismissed 
them  with  royal  gifts ;  and  at  the  same  time  he  commanded 
seven  of  the  chiefest  wise-men  in  the  kingdom  to  further 
condense  the  contents  of  the  camel-load  of  books  into  the 
compass  of  a  single  volume. 

Five  years  rolled  by ;  the  aged  monarch  meanwhile  had 
been  laid  on  a  bed  of  suffering  by  a  mortal  disease,  and  when 
the  chief  of  the  Seven  laid  in  his  palsied  hands  the  thin  manu- 
script containing  the  sum  of  human  knowledge,  the  royal  eyes 
were  too  dim,  and  the  brain  too  weak,  to  attempt  its  study. 
But,  stimulated  by  an  intense  desire  to  learn  the  truth,  the 
weakened  prince  suddenly  revived  his  fast  failing  energy,  and, 
addressing  the  chief   of  the   wise-men,   said:     "I    command 


49 

thee  instantly,  under  penalty  of  death,  to  express  in  one  sen- 
tence the  sum  of  human  knowledge  as  found  in  this  book." 

Leaning  over  the  bedside  of  the  expiring  prince,  the  faith- 
ful subject  whispered  into  the  still  sensitive  ear  these  words : 
"  Man  is  born,  he  suffers,  and  dies." 

As  you  all  perceive,  this  legend  is  only  partially  applicable 
to  my  theme ;  in  the  present  stage  of  intellectual  advancement, 
we  cannot  hope  to  compress  an  epitome  of  human  knowledge 
into  a  single  volume;  nor  is  the  scheme  altogether  desirable, 
for  we  admit  the  advantages  of  specialization. 

But  can  we  not  imitate  the  Oriental  monarch  to  the  extent  of 
gathering  under  one  roof  the  scattered  libraries  of  the  So- 
cieties composing  the  Scientific  Alliance,  and  by  unity  in  di- 
versity faciliate  the  work  of  those  who,  like  the  good  prince 
in  the  fable,  devote  themselves  unselfishly  to  the  discovery  of 
the  truths  of  Nature  and  the  revelations  of  Nature's  God. 


APPENDIX  TO  PROFESSOR  BOLTON'S  ADDRESS. 


Statistics  of  Libraries   in  New  York  City  and  Vicinity, 
with  Special  Reference  to  Science. 

In  the  following  pages  the  numbers  in  parentheses  have  the  signif- 
icance here  indicated : 

(i)  Date  of  foundation,  organization  or  incorporation. 

(2)  Location  of  the  library. 

(3)  Approximate  number  of  volumes. 

(4)  Proportion  of  scientific  books. 

(5)  Proportion  of  scientific  readers. 

(6)  Remarks. 

The  libraries  are  arranged  in  order  of  foundation  under  the  re- 
spective cities:  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Hoboken,  Jersey  City.  Clubs 
are  not  included,  being  essentially  private  libraries.  Additional  de- 
tails of  the  special  collections  in  several  of  the  libraries  will  be  found 
in  Bibliographical  Contributions  of  Harvard  College,  No.  45. 
Notes  on  Special  Collections  in  American  Libraries,  by  William 
Coolidge  Lane  and  Charles  Knowles  Bolton,  Cambridge,  Mass. 
1892. 

Thanks  are  due  to  the  Librarians  named  below  for  attention  to 
correspondence. 

NEW  YORK  SOCIETY  LIBRARY. 
Librarian  :  W.  S.  Butler. 
(1)  1700  (as  the  City  Library);    1754  (as  the  Society  Library). 
(2)  No.   67    University  Place.     (3)    About    90,000    volumes.     (4) 
About  one-seventh.     (5)  About  one-twelfth. 

COLUMBIA  COLLEGE  LIBRARY. 

Librarian :  George  H.  Baker. 

( \)  1754.  (2)  150,000  volumes.  (4)  About  25,000,  say  one- 
sixth.     ($)  No  data. 

(())  Is  rapidly  growing;  is  open  for  readers  from  9  a.  m.  to  11 
p.  m.,  daily. 

(5°) 


5i 

LIBRARY  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  HOSPITAL 
Librarian :  Frank  P.  Foster. 
(i)   1796.      (2)  No.   6  West  1 6th  street.      (3)   20,000  volumes 
(4)  Nearly  all  medical.     (5)  No  data. 

NEW  YORK  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 
Librarian :  Charles  Isham. 
(1)  1802.     (2)  170  Second  Avenue.     (3)  85,000  volumes.      (4) 
Comparitively  few  scientific  books.     (5)  None. 

(6)  The  collection  relates  to  American  History  only. 

NEW  YORK  ACADEMY  OF  SCIENCES. 
Librarian :  James  F.  Kemp. 

(7)  Founded  181 7.  Incorporated.  (2)  Deposited  temporarily  in 
Columbia  College  library-building.  (3)  About  10,000  volumes  and 
bound  pamphlets.  (4)  Almost  exclusively  scientific,  say  95  per 
cent.  (5)  Undetermined ;  is  open  to  all  readers  in  the  College 
Library. 

(6)  Valuable  for  its  sets  of  Transactions  of  Learned  Societies 
throughout  the  world,  obtained  by  exchange. 

FREE    LIBRARY    OF   THE    GENERAL   SOCIETY    OF    ME- 
CHANICS   AND   TRADESMEN   OF   THE 
CITY    OF   NEW    YORK. 
Librarian :  Jacob  Schwartz. 
(1)  1820.     (2)  No.  18  East  1 6th  street.    (3)  95,000  volumes.    (4) 
About  6,000  volumes,  say  one-sixteenth.     (5)  No  data. 

MERCANTILE  LIBRARY. 
Librarian :  W.  T.  Peoples. 
(1)  1820.     (2)  Astor  Place.     (3)  240,561  volumes  (July  1,  1892). 
(4)  About  ten  per  cent.     (5)  Circulation  of  scientific  books  about 
five  per  cent,  of  the  whole. 

(6)  A  subscription  library,  founded  for  the  benefit  of  merchants' 
clerks. 

LIBRARY  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  LAW  INSTITUTE. 

Librarian :  William  H.  Winters. 
(1)  1828.     (Incorporated  1830).     (2)  Post  Office  building.      (3) 
39,500  volumes.     (4)  Exclusively  law  and  works  of  reference. 


52 

AMERICAN  INSTITUTE. 
Librarian :  John  W.  Chambers. 
(i)  1833.     (2)  No.  111-115  West  38th  street.     (3)  13,  581  vol- 
umes.    (4)  Over  two-thirds  scientific.     (5)  Members  of  the  Institute. 
Strangers  welcome  to  consult  the  library. 

(6)  The  library  was  first  formed  as  a  Statistical  Library;  it  contains 
complete  sets  of  the  most  important  scientific  works  in  English.  For 
the  past  ten  years  the  purchased  books  are  exclusively  scientific. 

THE  ASTOR  LIBRARY. 

Superintendent :  Robbins  Little. 
Librarian :  Frederick  Saunders. 
(1)  Incorporated  1849.      (2)  No.  40  Lafayette  Place.      (3)  240,- 
000  volumes  and  100,000  pamphlets.     (4)  One  third  to  one  quarter. 
(5)  About  50,000  readers  per  annum. 

(6)  The  library  is  rich  in  transactions,  serials,  and  has  full  sets  of 
patents. 

AMERICAN  GEOGRAPHICAL  SOCIETY. 

Librarian :  Geo.  C.  Hurlbut. 
(1)  Founded  1852.     (2)  No.  41  West  29th  street.     (3)  24,000. 
(4)  1  in  7.     (5)  No  data. 

(6)  The  real  growth  of  the  library  dates  from  1870. 

COLLEGE  OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
Deputy  Librarian:  H.  E.  Bliss. 
(1)  Organized   1852.       (2)  Corner  Lexington  Avenue  and  23d 
street.     (3)  About  26,  800  volumes.     (4)  About  5,000  volumes,  say 
one-fifth.     (5)  Used  by  47  instructors  and  1,200  students. 
(6)  New  arrangement  in  progress. 

YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION. 
Twenty-third  Street  Branch.     Librarian :  R.  B.  Poole. 
(1)  1852.     (2)  No.  52  East  23d  street.     (3)  40,000  volumes.     (4) 
About  one-twentieth.     (5)  About  one-twentieth. 

COOPER  UNION  FOR  THE  ADVANCEMENT  OF  SCIENCE 

AND  ART. 

Curator  of  Library :  J.  C.  Zachos. 

( \ )  Incorporated  1857.     (2)  Fourth  Avenue  and  Eighth  street.    (3) 

31,873  volumes.     (4)  About  3,000,  say  one-tenth.      (5)  This  free 


53 

library  has  a  daily  average  attendance  of  1,500  readers.  The  com- 
plete set  of  the  Reports  of  the  Patent  Office  was  examined  by  919 
readers  in  1891. 

(6)  The  reading  room  was  visited  by  over  400,000  persons  in  the 
year  1891. 

AMERICAN   NUMISMATIC    AND    ARCHAEOLOGICAL   SO- 
CIETY. 
Librarian:  Bauman  L.  Belden. 
(1)  1858.    (2)  Academy  of  Medicine  Building,  No.  17  W.  43d  St. 

(3)  About  1,200  bound  volumes  and  4,000  pamphlets  and  unbound 
volumes.  (4)  About  five-sixths.  (5)  Used  by  the  members  of  the 
Society,  140.  (6)  Probably  the  largest  numismatic  library  in  the 
country. 

MAIMONIDES  LIBRARY. 
Librarian :  Max  Cohen. 
(1)  1858.      (2)  No.  203  East  57th  street.      (3)  40,000  volumes. 

(4)  About  2,600  scientific  books.  (5)  The  circulation  of  science  is 
about  5  per  cent  of  the  total. 

MOTT  MEMORIAL  LIBRARY  and  LIBRARY  OF  THE  NEW 
YORK  STATE  MEDICAL  ASSOCIATION. 
Director :  J.  W.  S.  Gouley. 
(1)  1867.     (2)  No.  64  Madison  Avenue.     (3)  about  13,000  vol- 
umes and  5, 000  pamphlets.     (4)  Almost  wholly  medical  and  scien- 
tific.    (5)  764  readers  in  1891,  chiefly  physicians. 

(6)  The  Mott  Memorial  Library  and  the  Library  of  the  New  York 
State  Medical  Association  are  under  one  roof  and  free  to  all  for  refer- 
ence. 

AMERICAN  SOCIETY  OF  CIVIL  ENGINEERS. 
Librarian:  F.  Collingwood. 
(1)  1868.     (2)   127   East  23d  street.     (3)    15,000  volumes,   in- 
cluding pamphlets.     (4)  Seven-eighths.     (5)  Almost  wholly. 

(6)  The  library  was  founded  through  a  donation  of  the  late  Wm. 
G.  Arthur;  it  is  practically  free,  being  open  to  all  interested  in  en- 
gineering. 

COLLEGE  OF  PHARMACY  OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

Chairman  Library  Committee :  Charles  Rice. 
(1)  No  definite  date ;  the  library  has  grown  systematically  since 


54 

i868.  (2)  Nos.  209-211  East  23d  street.  (3)  About  4,000  vol- 
umes and  600  pamphlets.  (4)  Almost  exclusively  scientific.  (5) 
Besides  members  of  the  College,  about  400  persons  per  annum. 

(6)  The  library  is  rich  in  pharmacy,  botany,  chemistry  and  materia 
medica,  containing  some  works  not  found  elsewhere  in  New  York. 

WASHINGTON  HEIGHTS  FREE  LIBRARY. 

Librarian :  Edward  Griffin. 

(1)  1868.     (2)  Corner  of  156th  street  and  Amsterdam  Avenue. 
(3)   8,328  volumes.     (4)   200  volumes  or  more.     (5)  500   readers 
per  annum. 

LENOX  LIBRARY. 
Assistant  Librarian :  Wilberforce  Eames. 

(1)  1870.  (2)  Fifth  Avenue,  between  70th  and  71st  streets.  (3) 
About  70,000.     (4)  See  (6).     (5)  No  data. 

(6)  The  Lenox  library  consists  of  several  special  collections  on 
literary  and  antiquarian  subjects.  The  R.  L.  Stuart  Collection  of 
angling  literature  includes  some  works  of  ichthyology ;  the  Drexel 
Musical  Collection  contains  works  on  acoustics.  Besides  these 
there  are  no  books  on  natural  science. 

NEW  YORK  GENEALOGICAL  AND  BIOGRAPHICAL 

SOCIETY. 

Librarian :  G.  H.  VanWagenen. 

(1)  1870.  (2)  23  West  44th  street.  (3)  2,500  volumes.  (4) 
Wholly  genealogical  and  biographical.     (5)  No  data. 

YOUNG  WOMAN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION. 

Librarian:  Sarah  W.  Cattell. 

(1)  1870.  (2)  East  15th  street.  (3)  19,000  volumes.  (4)  About 
400  volumes.  (5)  Very  few.  In  1891,  of  a  circulation  of  44,577 
volumes,  only  432  were  on  science. 

LiHRARY  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION  OF  THE  BAR  OF  THE 
CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 

Librarian:  William  J.  C.  Berry. 

(1)  1870.  (2)  West  29th  street.  (3)  40,000  volumes.  (4)  Ex- 
clusively law  books  and  works  of  reference. 


55 

THE  TORREY  BOTANICAL  CLUB. 
Librarian:  Effie  A.   Southworth. 
(i)    Founded    in    187 1.     (2)    Incorporated    with   the   Botanical 
Library  of  Columbia  College. 

NEW  YORK  ACADEMY  OF  MEDICINE. 

Librarian :  John  S.  Brownne. 

(1)  1874.  (The  Academy  was  instituted  in  1847).  (2)  17-21 
West  43d  street.  (3)  About  45,000  volumes.  (4)  About  1,000  not 
strictly  medical.     (5)  About  7,000  readers  yearly. 

(6)  The  library  ranks  third  in  size  of  the  medical  libraries  of  the 
United  States. 

UNIVERSITY  OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
Librarian:  L.  J.  Thompkins. 
(1)  About  1875.      (2)  Washington  Square.     (3)  About  18,000 
volumes.     (4)  About    3,000  volumes  science,    say   one-sixth.     (5) 
Scientific  students. 

(6)  Reading  room  is  open  from  9  a.  m.  to  9:30  p.  m.,  and  is  free 
to  all  who  will  comply  with  our  rules. 

EQUITABLE  LAW  LIBRARY. 
Librarian :  Thomas  Campbell. 
(1)    Founded    1876.       (2)    No.    120    Broadway.       (3)    13,500 
volumes.     (4)  Wholly  on  law. 

NEW  YORK  MICROSCOPICAL  SOCIETY. 
Librarian :  Ludwig  Riederer. 
(1)  Founded  1877.     Incorporated.     (2)  No.  64  Madison  Avenue. 
(3)  About  1,500.     (4)  Wholly  scientific.     (5)  Undetermined. 

(6)  Difficult  of  access  owing  to  small  quarters,  and  hence  little 
used. 

THE  NEW  YORK  SECTION  OF  THE  AMERICAN  CHEMI- 
CAL SOCIETY. 
Librarian:  C.  E.Munsell. 
(1)  Organized  1892.     Parent  Society  founded   1878  and  incor- 
porated.    (2)  Deposited  in  the  Library  of  the  University  of  the  City 
of  New  York.     (3)  1,900  volumes  and  500  pamphlets.       (4)  About 
95  per  cent,  scientific.     (5)  About  50  readers  per  annum.     Open  to 
those  using  the  University  Library. 


S6 

THE  LINNLEAN  SOCIETY  OF  NEW  YORK. 
Librarian:  Arthur  H.  Howell. 
(i)  Organized  1878.     Not  incorporated.     (2)  American  Museum 
of  Natural  History,  Central  Park.     (3)  Not  reported.     (6)  Consists 
of  exchanges  and  Government  publications. 

AMERICAN  MUSEUM  OF  NATURAL  HISTORY. 

Librarian :  Anthony  Woodward. 

(1)  About  1880.  (2)  Manhattan  Square,  Eighth  Avenue  and 
77th  street.  (3)  About  25,000  volumes  and  10,000  pamphlets.  (4) 
95  percent.    (5)  No  data. 

(6)  The  library  embraces  the  following  special  collections  (do- 
nated or  purchased ) :  The  Jay  Collection  on  Conchology ;  The 
Brevoort  Collection  on  Ichthyology;  D.  G.  Elliot  Collection  on 
Ornithology;  S.  L.  Elliot  Collection  on  General  Science;  The 
Edwards  Collection  on  Entomology;  The  Whitfield  Collection  on 
Palaeontology;  The  Cotheal  Collection  on  Botany  and  Microscopy. 

NEW  YORK  FREE  CIRCULATING  LIBRARY. 
Librarian :  Ellen  M.  Coe. 

(1)  1880.  (2)  No.  49  Bond  street,  with  three  branches.  (3) 
Nearly  60,000  volumes.  (4)  About  8,000  volumes,  say  seven  per 
cent.     (5)  About  seven  per  cent. 

(6)  The  scientific  books  are  chiefly  popular  and  elementary;  the 
reading  of  science  is  greatly  increasing. 

AGUILAR  FREE  LIBRARY. 

Librarian:  Pauline  Leipziger. 
(1)    Incorporated    1886.       (2)    197    East  Broadway,    and    two 
branches  721  Lexington  Avenue  and  624  East  5th  st.     (3)  18,000. 
(4)  497.     (5)  Five  per  cent. 

YOUNG    MEN'S    CHRISTIAN    ASSOCIATION,    RAILROAD 

BRANCH. 
Librarian:  W.  F.  Stevens. 
(1)  1887.     (2)   361    Madison  Avenue.     (3)    About    600.       (4) 
About  four  per  cent.     (5)  About  150. 

(())  Rich  in  Railroad  literature,  which  is  not  included  in  the  an- 
swer to  (4). 


57 

THE  NEW  YORK  MATHEMATICAL  SOCIETY. 

Librarian:  D.  A.  Murray. 

(i)  Organized  1888.  Not  incorporated.  (2)  Mathematical  De- 
partment of  Columbia  College.  (3)  About  300  volumes.  (4)  All 
scientific,  say  100  per  cent.     (5)  and  (6)  No  data. 

WOMAN'S  MEDICAL  COLLEGE  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  IN- 
FIRMARY. 
Librarian:  Ellen  K.  Leute. 
(1)    1887.     (2)  321  East  15th  street.     (3)  556  volumes.     (4)  All 
medical. 

(6)  Founded  by  Sarah  M.  Hitchcock. 

THE  BENJAMIN  AND   TOWNSEND  LIBRARY. 
Librarian:  F.  E.  Falkenberg. 

(1)  1888.  (2)  On  Bellevue  Hospital  Grounds,  First  Avenne  be- 
tween 1 6th  and  27th  streets.  (3)  2,000  volumes.  (4)  20  volumes. 
(5)2. 

COLLEGE  SETTLEMENT  LIBRARY. 
Libraria?i :  Amy  P.  Hall. 

(1)   1889.     (2)  No.   95   Rivington    street.     (3)    2,000    volumes. 

(6)  The  Library  is  used  mostly  by  children  in  uneducated  fami- 
lies, and  the  books  mostly  read  are  histories,  biographies  and  fiction. 
The  proportion  of  scientific  works  is  small  and  they  are  chiefly  ele- 
mentary. 

AMERICAN  SOCIETY  OF  MECHANICAL  ENGINEERS. 
Librarian  :  E.  C.  Griffin. 

(1)  1890.  (2)  12  West  31st street.  (3)  4,000  volumes.  (4)  All 
scientific.     (5)  Wholly  scientific. 

(6)  The  library  is  free  to  the  public,  but  no  books  can  be  removed 
from  the  building. 

AMERICAN    INSTITUTE    OF    ELECTRICAL   ENGINEERS. 

Secretary :  Ralph  W.  Pope. 

(1)  1890.  (2)  No.  12  West  31st  street.  (3)  The  library  oc- 
cupies space  jointly  with  that  of  the  American  Society  of  Mechanical 
Engineers. 


58 
Brooklyn  Libraries. 

BROOKLYN  INSTITUTE  OF  ARTS  AND  SCIENCES. 

Librarian:  Franklin  W.  Hooper. 

(i)  1823.  (2)  Fulton  and  Bond  streets.  (3)  13,500  volumes. 
(4)  4,200,  say  one-third.      (5)  1,200  readers. 

(6)  Special  collections  of  value  :  600  works  on  entomology ;  1, 100 
geographical  publications. 

THE     LAW    LIBRARY    IN    BROOKLYN,    and    THE    LAW 
LIBRARY  OF  THE  SECOND  JUDICIAL  DISTRICT. 

Librarian:  S.  C.  Betts. 

(1)  1850.     (2)  County  Court  House.     (3)  Over  14,000  volumes. 

(4)  Wholly  on  law. 

YOUNG  MEN'S  CHRISTIAN  ASSOCIATION. 

Librarian :  S.  H.  Berry. 

(1)  1854.  (2)  502  Fulton  street.  (3)  12,000  volumes.  (4) 
580  volumes. 

BROOKLYN  LIBRARY. 

Librarian:  W.  A.  Bardwell. 

(1)  1857.  (2)  r97  Montague  street,  Brooklyn  Heights.  (3) 
115,000   volumes.     (4)    About    17,000  volumes,   say   one-seventh. 

(5)  No  data. 

LONG  ISLAND  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 

Librarian :  Emma  Toedteberg. 

(1)  1863.      (2)  Corner  Pierrepont  and  Clinton  streets,  Brooklyn. 

(3)  47,000.     (4)  Very  small.     (5)  Almost  none. 

(6)  The  library  is  especially  devoted  to  local  history  and  genealogy. 

ADELPHI  ACADEMY. 

Librarian :  Mabel  A.  Farr. 

(1)    1869.     (2)   Clifton  Place,   Brooklyn.       (3)  3,000  volumes. 

(4)  About  one-twentieth.     (5)  About  20. 

(6)  Confined  to  Instructors  and  pupils  of  the  Academy,  170  in 
number. 


59 

MEDICAL  SOCIETY  OF  KING'S  COUNTY. 
Librarian :  William  Browning. 
(i)  1874.     (2)  356  Bridge  street,  Brooklyn.      (3)  5,500  volumes. 
(4)  Wholly  on  medicine  and  allied  sciences.     (5)  Members  of   the 
Society,  500. 

(6)  Public  and  free  for  consultation.  A  new  building  is  in  pro- 
gress. The  Hoagland  Laboratory  library  complements  medically 
the  above  and  is  free  to  members  by  card. 

FREE  LENDING  LIBRARY  OF  THE  UNION  FOR  CHRIST- 
IAN WORK. 
Librarian  :    Fanny  Hull. 
(1)  1882.     (2)  67-69  Schermerhorn  street.     (3)  22,000  volumes, 
(4)  2,306  volumes.     (5)  150  scientific  readers. 

PRATT  INSTITUTE. 
t  Librarian:  M.  W.  Plummer. 

(1)  1888.  (2)  215  Ryerson  street,  Brooklyn.  (3)  35,000  vol- 
umes. (4)  About  one-seventeenth  (not  including  useful  arts  and 
biography).     (5)  No  data. 

THE  HOAGLAND  LABORATORY. 

Librarian :  George  T.  Kemp. 

(1)  1888.  (2)  Corner  Pacific  and  Henry  streets.  (3)  1544. 
(4)  100  per  cent. 

(5  and  6)  The  library  is  rich  in  foreign  serials  on  bacteriology, 
pathology,  histology,  physiology  and  experimental  therapeutics. 

Hoboken  Libraries. 

STEVENS  INSTITUTE  TECHNOLOGY. 
Librarian:  A.  Riesenberger. 
(1)   1871.     (2)  Corner  Hudson  and  5th  streets,  Hoboken.      (3) 
About  7,500  volumes.     (4)  Exclusivelv  scientific.      (5)   Consulted 
by  alumni  and  undergraduates,  say  600  persons. 

FREE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY,  HOBOKEN,  N.  J. 
Librarian :  Thomas  F.  Hatfield. 
(1)  1890.     (2)  Second  National  Bank  Building.      (3)  7,343  vol- 
umes.    (4)  540  volumes,  say  one-thirteenth.      (5)  No  data. 


6o 

Jersey  City  Libraries. 

FREE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY,  JERSEY  CITY,  N.  J. 
Librarian :  George  Watson  Cole. 

(i)  1889.  (2)  Corner  Washington  and  York  streets.  (3)  25,312 
volumes  (July  1,  1892).  (4)  1,405,  say  one-eighteenth.  (5)  Out 
of  a  circulation  of  294,796  volumes,  7,417  were  scientific. 

(6)  Books  on  electricity  and  engineering  are  more  largely  called 
for  than  other  branches  of  science. 

NOTE. — The  following  institutions  of  learning  report  no  libraries: 
Belle vue  Medical  College. 

Medical  Department  of  the  University  of  the  City  of  New  York. 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons. 
Long  Island  College  Hospital. 
From  eight  additional  libraries  not  herein  named,  no  replies  were  received  to 
duplicate  circulars  of  inquiry.     From  one  library  the  circular  letter  was  returned 
through  the  post  office  marked  "removed,  present  address  unknown." 
University  Club,  September,  1892. 


6i 


ADDRESS  BY  PROFESSOR  N.  L.  BRITTON, 

ON   THE 

KIND  OF  BUILDING    REQUIRED    BY   THE   SCIEN- 
TIFIC ALLIANCE. 


The  idea  of  a  suitable  building  to  house  the  scientific  asso- 
ciations of  this  city  is  not  new.  It  has  been  discussed  in  one 
form  or  another  for  many  years,  and  was  a  favorite  plan  of  Dr. 
Newberry  during  his  long  and  invaluable  services  as  President 
of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Sciences.  Once  or  twice  he 
appeared  to  be  on  the  verge  of  accomplishing  the  object,  and 
the  failure  of  the  attempts  was  a  great  disappointment  to  him. 
The  need  of  such  a  structure  really  began  at  the  time  of  the 
loss,  through  financial  complications  in  1844,  of  the  old  Lyceum 
of  Natural  History  Building,  which  stood  on  Broadway  near 
Prince  street,  and  the  subsequent  distruction  of  the  Lyceum's 
collections  by  fire.  This  most  calamitous  conflagration,  be- 
sides destroying  a  very  large  amount  of  valuable  scientific 
material,  some  of  which  can  never  be  replaced,  and  rendering 
the  Academy  of  Sciences — then  the  only  scientific  organiza- 
tion in  the  city — homeless,  gave  a  blow  to  the  progress  of 
Science  here  from  which  recovery  has  never  quite  been  made, 
and  was  the  cause  of  the  loss  of  local  interest  in  scientific  sub- 
jects, while  their  study  was  being  vigorously  prosecuted  in  the 
neighboring  cities  of  Philadelphia  and  Boston. 

The  establishment  of  the  School  of  Mines  of  Columbia  Col- 
lege, in  1864,  and  of  the  grand  Institution  of  which  we  are  to- 
night the  welcome  guests,  in  1869,  and  the  phenomenally  rapid 
and  successful  developement  of  both,  have  given  during  recent 
years  an  impetus  to  Science  which  bids  fair  to  place  New 
York  in  its  proper  position  as  not  only  the  commercial,  literary 
and  artistic,  but  also  the  scientific  centre  of  North  America. 
The  possibilities  for  research  and  instruction  opened  up  by  the 
recent  establishment  of  the  new  Aquarium  at  Castle  Garden, 
the  organization  of  the  new  Faculty  of  Pure  Science  in  Col- 


62 

umbia  College,  and  the  bright  prospect  for  the  early  foundation 
of  a  well-equipped  Botanic  Garden  in  Bronx  Park,  are  indica- 
tions, among  others,  which  point  to  our  rapidly  approaching 
scientific  preeminence. 

During  this  period  the  scientific  societies  have  been  slowly 
but  surely  increasing  in  strength  and  influence.  While  ap- 
parently a  slight  feature  in  the  intellect  of  the  city,  they  are 
really  the  principal  bonds  of  union  between  those  who  pur- 
sue the  lines  of  scientific  thought,  and  the  factors  which  give 
the  greatest  encouragement  for  scientific  work,  by  virtue  of  the 
opportunities  they  afford  for  the  presentation  and  publication 
of  the  results  of  research  and  discovery;  for  the  true  man 
of  Science  differs  from  other  men  in  this,  that  if  he  discovers 
any  facts  which  appear  to  add  anything  to  the  sum-total  of 
human  knowledge,  or  believes  that  he  can  explain  already 
known  facts  in  a  more  philosophical  manner  than  they  have 
hitherto  been  explained,  his  first  impulse  is  to  give  his  results 
and  ideas  to  the  world  for  what  they  may  be  worth  towards 
the  solution  of  the  problems  of  Nature,  instead  of  secreting 
them  in  the  hope  that  they  may  be  of  some  particular  value  to 
himself.  For  this,  if  for  nothing  else,  these  organizations  de- 
serve all  the  encouragement  that  can  be  extended  to  them. 
Think  for  a  moment  of  a  city  of  the  present  day  without 
scientific  associations.  It  would  be  regarded  the  world  over 
as  a  desert  place  in  the  realm  of  intellect. 

The  character  of  the  building  which  is  needed  for  the  suc- 
cessful prosecution  of  the  work  the  societies  forming  the  Scien- 
tific Alliance  of  New  York  desire  to  accomplish  may  be  out- 
lined in  a  few  sentences; 

i.  Provisions  for  the  shelving  and  ready  consultation 
of  their  libraries  which  now,  collectively,  comprise  about 
20,000  books  and  pamphlets,  and  are  being  augmented  more 
rapidly  than  ever  before  by  the  steady  stream  of  publications 
issued  by  similar  organizations  all  over  the  world  received 
in  exchange  for  the  serials  and  journals  published  here. 
A  single  large  room,  built  with  alcoves,  in  order  to  afford  a 
method  of  keeping  the  several  libraries  distinct,  would,  we  con- 
ceive, be  the  most  satisfactory  arrangement,  or  it  might  be 


63 

deemed  more  convenient  and  economical  to  keep  the  books  in 
a  single  series  and  those  of  each  society  designated  by  dis- 
tinctive book-plates,  gilding  and  cataloging.  We  believe  that 
in  determining  the  size  of  this  room,  provision  should  be  made 
for  the  shelving  of  not  less  than  300,000  volumes,  for  in  addi- 
tion to  the  accumulations  alluded  to,  it  is  certain  that  contri- 
butions would  continually  be  made  to  this  library  by  some  of 
the  members. 

2.  A  lecture-room  constructed  to  seat  not  less  than  1,000 
persons,  in  which  a  constant  series  of  lecture-courses  on  scien- 
tific topics  should  be  offered  to  the  people  of  New  York,  free 
of  all  charges. 

3.  A  small  room  as  an  office  for  each  society,  place  for 
committee  and  special  meetings  at  which  the  attendance 
would  not  be  large,  space  for  the  deposition  of  their  archives 
and  other  papers  of  value.  So  far  as  we  can  now  foresee, 
about  ten  such  rooms  would  be  required,  there  being  seven  or- 
ganizations now  in  the  Alliance  and  others  that  may  be 
admitted.  The  probability  of  new  scientific  associations  be- 
ing founded  is  not  great.  Provision  for  such  already  exists  in 
the  permission  for  the  establishment  of  Sections  in  the 
Academy  of  Sciences. 

4.  A  number  of  rooms  constructed  to  seat  about  100  per- 
sons each,  for  the  ordinary  meetings  of  the  societies.  Economy 
of  space  could  here  probably  be  effected  by  the  common  use 
of  the  same  room  by  two  or  more  societies,  as  not  more  than 
two  of  them  would  be  likely  to  desire  to  meet  at  the  same  time, 
a  large  number  of  persons  being  members  of  two  or  three  of 
the  organizations. 

5.  Small  rooms  fitted  up  for  Photographic  and  Microscopic 
Laboratories,  and  for  the  storage  of  apparatus  and  other 
material. 

6.  A  general  meeting-room  for  members  of  the  societies  and 
their  friends,  which  should  be  open  at  all  times  as  a  kind  of 
social,  scientific  centre,  similar  to  the  Cosmos  Club  at  Wash- 
ington which  has  been  such  a  great  success. 

The  realization  of  such  a  scheme  calls  for  a  fire-proof  build- 
ing about  100  by   120  feet   square,   four  stories   high   on   the 


64 

front,  with  the  large  lecture-room  behind,  the  Library  and 
Club-room  on  the  ground-floor  front  and  the  meeting-rooms,  of- 
fices etc.,  above.  It  should  be  located  in  a  central  part  of  the 
city,  and  its  maintenance  should  be  provided  for  without  ex- 
pense to  the  societies,  which  need  all  the  income  they  have  or 
can  obtain  for  research  and  publication. 

It  is  needless  for  me  to  state  that  a  very  large  sum  of  money 
would  be  required  for  such  a  structure.  But  we  hope,  and  not 
without  considerable  encouragement,  that  in  one  way  or  an- 
other the  means  will  be  forthcoming.  Such  a  building,  or  a 
slight  modification  of  it,  could  be  used  to  advantage  by  other 
organizations  whose  work  was  not  incongruous  with  the  objects 
that  the  Scientific  Alliance  wishes  to  attain,  and  it  may  be  that 
we  shall  receive  support  from  such.  The  societies  devoted  to 
Art,  Music  and  Charity  are  already  capitally  housed  by  the 
generous  liberality  of  New  York's  wealth.  May  we  not  confi- 
dently believe  that  the  same  liberality  will,  directly  or  indi- 
rectly, be  successfully  invoked  in  the  cause  of  Science? 


Lithomount 

Pamphlet 

Binder 

Gay  lord  Bros. 

Makers 

Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

PAT.  IAN  21.  1908 


• 


